This week’s Hollywood gossip

No-one is recognised as knowing more about Hollywood and celebrities than David Hartnell MNZM. He’s not only spent a lifetime reporting on Hollywood’s trivia, gossip and scandals, but he counts many celebrities among his personal friends. Every Monday morning David will give you an exclusive weekly update on the gossip, scandals and trivia of Hollywood’s elite.

David is an award winning broadcaster and columnist and he is also the patron of The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand Inc.

Her Majesty The Queen, awarded David the Insignia of a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (formerly an MBE) in the Queen’s birthday Honours list 2011 for his recognition for his services to entertainment.

In 2012 he was made an Ambassador of St. James Saviours, the trust formed to save the iconic Auckland theatre. In 2014 he was made an Ambassador to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand.

In 2016 he was made Patron of the Brotherhood of Auckland Magicians. In late 2017 he was awarded the prestigious VAC Presidents Medallion from The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand. The medallion acknowledged his lifetime commitment towards excellence in the entertainment world both here in New Zealand and Internationally.

I’m not one to gossip but………Meghan Markle has not been “caught up” in a “shocking drug scandal,” despite misleading reports. This purported “drug secret” doesn’t have anything directly to do with the Duchess of Sussex at all, this is FAKE NEWS!

Sister outlets the National Enquirer and RadarOnline are running virtually identical stories this week claiming Markle’s father, from whom she’s largely estranged these days, “bankrolled” a “meth addict who vanished after hitting him up for $6,000 (US) in cash.” The articles try to make it seem like this woman was a surrogate daughter for Thomas Markle, and therefore like Markle’s “sister.”

The claims come from the “woman’s former boyfriend,” who contends Markle’s dad doted on the woman and her daughter and gave them “gifts.” But it’s alleged she “took advantage of his generosity and weaseled a $6,000 (US) loan out of him,” and then “coldly cut him off and even snubbed his 74th birthday on July 18.”

What does any of this really have to do with Prince Harry’s wife? The same so-called “royal insider” quoted by both publications asserts, “Meghan’s already livid about her family’s loose lips, but she can’t believe her father would associate with a known drug addict.” This untraceable source goes on, “It’s reckless beyond belief and only makes the rift between them wider… She thought he was more streetwise than to be taken for a fool by a desperate young druggie.”

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Sir Ian McKellen was forced to cancel a theater performance on Saturday night after injuring his leg running for the train that day.

But rather than let the audience down at the last minute, he instead treated them to a 90-minute Q&A.

He furthermore did some Shakespeare improv, which some other cast members of King Lear stayed to watch.

The acting veteran is currently treading the boards as King Lear at Duke of York’s Theatre in London. The gruelling performance lasts for three hours and 20 minutes with one interval. A star of stage and screen, Sir Ian is of course known for movie roles such as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He also reprised the role for The Hobbit franchises. He furthermore played Magneto in X-Men.

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In Variety magazine (the show business Bible) recent issue on transgender Hollywood, Caitlyn Jenner revealed that her dream acting role would be to play a Marvel movie.

“In a Marvel movie, I want to play the baddest-ass lady you’ve ever seen in your life,” Jenner said. “They got the wicked queen or the wicked lady. Just do the makeup and the outfit. And I got the deep voice.”

Before she transitioned, Caitlyn co-starred on TV’s “CHIPS” and she once auditioned for “Superman,” ultimately losing out to Christopher Reeve for the iconic role.

Caitlyn said that she had a difficult time after she won the gold medal at the 1976 Olympics decathlon. “I got all these issues inside me,” she said. She remembered asking herself, “Did I build up this character so big that I’m stuck with Bruce for the rest of my life?”

“And it scared the hell out of me,” Caitlyn said. “And then four months later, they call up: ‘Would you be interested in a screen test for ‘Superman’?” She auditioned, but she was relieved when she didn’t get the part.

“It was just too much for me,” Caitlyn said. “I would have gone down as the most macho guy in the world, and that’s not me. It’s not even close to being me.”

But the big question is – what Marvel villainess would she play?

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The City of West Hollywood wants it gone, and Star Wars’ Mark Hamill knows what to do with it: Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame should be replaced by one for Hamill’s late co-star Carrie Fisher.

“How about replacing it with someone who really earned it? Like @Carrie Fisher,” Hamill tweeted (see it below).

The star – the Trump star, that is – has been the subject of considerable debate recently, first after getting smashed by a pickaxe-wielder last month and then, last night, when West Hollywood’s city council passed a resolution urging that the Trump star be removed altogether.

Ultimately, neither the council nor Hamill (nor the vandal, who attended the council meeting) have much say in the matter. Who’s who on the Walk of Fame is decided by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles City Council, and neither have any plans to exile the Trump star.

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A tabloid cover story about Cher getting a “miracle cure” to stop her from “dying” is fake news. This bit of fake news has been reported for years, the music legend was never recently close to death in the first place.

But sister outlets the National Enquirer and the Globe have repeatedly tried to kill Cher off, claiming again and again that she’s on the brink of dying from various illnesses. In fact, the Enquirer put this phony contention on its cover so many times over many years

While the singer’s health has been up and down over the decades, she was never on the verge of death in the last few years, as wrongly alleged. In fact, Cher’s spokesperson confirms, “She did have Epstein-Barr many years ago… The rest is the usual [garbage].”

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Is Victoria Beckham planning a fashion-themed reality show? That’s the claim in one of this week’s American tabloids.

According to NW, the singer-turned-designer has been meeting with Hollywood executives to develop a TV series surrounding her fashion empire. An alleged insider tells the magazine, “[Victoria] would love to get a fashion show off the ground, much like ‘Project Runway.’”

Victoria is inspired to start her own show now that her husband David is moving to Miami to launch his own soccer team. According to the suspicious tipster, the former Spice Girl is “way past the stage of [just] being ‘David’s wife’” and feels “her own branding and initiatives are equally as important.” The questionable insider adds, “She’s got her agents setting up meetings at all the top studios. She has a ton of ideas to impress network bosses with.”

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The Academy has announced some major changes coming!

Specifically, there will be three big changes coming for the future Oscar telecasts.

In a tweet. The Academy wrote, “Change is coming to the #Oscars. Here’s what you need to know:
– A new category is being designed around achievement in popular film.
– We’ve set an earlier airdate for 2020: mark your calendars for February 9.
– We’re planning a more globally accessible, three-hour telecast.”

See the letter The Academy sent out to members below…

“Tonight, the Board approved three key changes:

A three-hour Oscars telecast

We are committed to producing an entertaining show in three hours, delivering a more accessible Oscars for our viewers worldwide.

To honor all 24 award categories, we will present select categories live, in the Dolby Theatre, during commercial breaks (categories to be determined). The winning moments will then be edited and aired later in the broadcast.

New award category

We will create a new category for outstanding achievement in popular film. Eligibility requirements and other key details will be forthcoming.

Earlier airdate for 92nd Oscars

The date of the 92nd Oscars telecast will move to Sunday, February 9, 2020, from the previously announced February 23. The date change will not affect awards eligibility dates or the voting process.

The 91st Oscars telecast remains as announced on Sunday, February 24, 2019.

We have heard from many of you about improvements needed to keep the Oscars and our Academy relevant in a changing world. The Board of Governors took this charge seriously.

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Back in May, Margot Kidder died at her home in Montana at the age of 69. At the time of her death, the Park County Attorney reported that an unknown person called 911 after finding Margot unresponsive in her house. Margot’s manager Camilla Fluxman Pines claimed that she had died peacefully in her sleep, but authorities said they were going to investigate. A statement was released by the Park County coroner yesterday, and they’ve determined the cause of death to be suicide, specifically a “self-inflicted drug and alcohol overdose.” The coroner wasn’t specific, but they don’t really need to be; whatever the culprit, it’s still a pile of sadness. 2

This is the kind of news that might make some people’s coffee taste just a little more bitter today, but not Margot’s daughter Maggie McGuane. Maggie spoke to AP on the phone about her mother’s suicide, and she says she knew the moment authorities took her to her mother’s house that it was the result of a suicide. And it’s something she wants people to talk openly about.

“It’s a big relief that the truth is out there,” she said. “It’s important to be open and honest so there’s not a cloud of shame in dealing with this.”

Maggie also mentioned that the state of Montana has one of the highest suicide rates in the US, adding that “knowing how many families in this state go through this, I wish that I could reach out to each one of them.” Margot Kidder was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the 90s, and was very open about her own mental illness. A joint statement released by the coroner’s office and her family urges “those suffering from mental illnesses, addiction and/or suicidal thoughts to seek appropriate counselling and treatment.”

I think it’s really healthy that Margot’s family isn’t afraid or ashamed to say it was a suicide. People can get really weird and uncomfortable when it comes to death, and some have extremely strange ways of describing it. One time I went to a funeral, and someone called the death “the event,” but in a weird, whispered way. I want to believe Margot Kidder, who truly said what she meant, might have whispered back: “Honey, please – it’s a dead person, not the plot of Superman IV.”

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Beyonce is on the cover of Vogue’s September 2018 issue. Here’s what the 36-year-old music icon had to say as told to Clover Hope.

On being pregnant and body acceptance: “After the birth of my first child, I believed in the things society said about how my body should look. I put pressure on myself to lose all the baby weight in three months, and scheduled a small tour to assure I would do it… After the twins, I approached things very differently…I think it’s important for women and men to see and appreciate the beauty in their natural bodies. That’s why I stripped away the wigs and hair extensions and used little makeup for this shoot. To this day my arms, shoulders, breasts, and thighs are fuller.”

On her journey: “I look at the woman I was in my 20s and I see a young lady growing into confidence but intent on pleasing everyone around her. I now feel so much more beautiful, so much sexier, so much more interesting. And so much more powerful.”

On her legacy: “I’m in a place of gratitude right now. I am accepting of who I am. I will continue to explore every inch of my soul and every part of my artistry. I want to learn more, teach more, and live in full.”

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Here is a bit of high camp nonsense from The Liberace Show in 1969 that I thought you may enjoy. Here’s the man himself with Phyllis Diller, Dusty Springfield and British actress Millicent Martin singing Glamour.

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Ethan Hawke is featured in GQ’s August 2018 issue.

Here’s what the 47-year-old Boyhood actor had to say…

On celebrity and success: “Success becomes a kind of formaldehyde for some people. They get stuck in it and die there.”

On alternating between different kinds of movie roles to pay his bills: “My best movies are not the ones that pay me: the Before trilogy, Boyhood, First Reformed, Dead Poets Society…I pay my alimony with my acting, I pay my kids’ health insurance with my acting. I pay everybody’s tuition with my acting.”

On his divorce from Uma Thurman in 2004: “When you’re depressed, it’s really easy to see everything that is fake about other people and life, and I just started seeing all that. How phony celebrity was, how phony everything is. You channel your inner Holden Caulfield, you know?”

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It feels like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s two-year divorce fight has been going on for an eternity. Most recently, Angelina’s lawyer Laura Wasser was rumored to have quit her, and then it was stated she hadn’t quit her, but it’s still kind of lingering in the air that Laura is reaching for the door and is just waiting for Angelina to turn her back so she can run out to freedom without the fire-breathing dragon getting her. The American magazine Us Weekly got a few sources to whisper their secrets to them and it’s pretty much the same of what we’ve heard so far. “Angie’s big issue continues to be sharing joint custody with Brad. Insiders say that she can’t see past her anger for Brad that he is on his way to getting joint custody.

Certainly, Brad must be reflecting on the enormous difference between his two divorces. When Jennifer Aniston decided to call their marriage off, it was a character-revealing episode. There were no embarrassing accusations made against Brad, and there was no bickering over possessions or money. It was a swift and quiet legal maneuver with no negative repercussions. Angelina Jolie, on the other hand, humiliated Brad with deliberately leaked shocking allegations right away, and never stopped disputing custody and financial issues, extending the negotiations over two expensive years – so far. Through it all, Brad has never said a word about Angelina.

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WAR HORSE

will visit Auckland for the first time ever
from 21 June 2019

War Horse, the unforgettable theatrical event from the National Theatre of Great Britain, based on Michael Morpurgo’s beloved novel will visit New Zealand for the first time in June 2019.

The winner of more than 25 international awards, including the Tony Award® for Best Play on Broadway, War Horse is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris. Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s remarkable story of courage, loyalty and friendship tells the story of a young boy called Albert and his horse Joey, set against the backdrop of the First World War. This powerfully moving and imaginative drama is a show of phenomenal inventiveness, filled with stirring music and songs, featuring ground-breaking puppetry work by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company, which brings breathing, galloping horses to life on stage.

War Horse, which has now been seen by over seven million people worldwide, received its world premiere on 9 October 2007 at the National Theatre where it played for two seasons before opening at the New London Theatre in March 2009. Since then, War Horse has been seen in 97 cities in 11 countries, including productions on Broadway, in Toronto and Berlin, with touring productions in the UK and Ireland, North America, the Netherlands, Belgium and China.

At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert’s beloved horse, is sold to the Cavalry and shipped to France. He’s soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary journey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man’s land. Albert, who remained on his parents’ Devon farm, cannot forget Joey. Though still not old enough to enlist he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.

Michael Morpurgo said: ‘I’m thrilled that Joey, the War Horse and his great team from the National Theatre, are touring to New Zealand, taking their show all over the world to places War Horse has not been seen before. I am so pleased this is happening; that so many more people have the chance to enjoy this unique theatrical event. Steady boy, steady Joey. Trot on!’

War Horse is directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, designed by Rae Smith, with puppet direction, design and fabrication by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet Company, lighting by Paule Constable, and movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, with video design by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer for 59 Productions, songmaker John Tams, music by Adrian Sutton and sound by Christopher Shutt. Katie Henry is the revival director and Craig Leo is the associate puppetry director. Casting to be announced.

War Horse is presented in Auckland by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and the National Theatre

War Horse has 23 puppets, including horses Joey and Topthorn, as well as a goose, two swallows and two crows.

It takes eight months to build a complete set of puppets for War Horse; they are handmade by 14 craftsmen and women.

The finished horse puppets weigh approximately 43 kilos for the body, including the puppeteers’ backpacks, and another 7.7 kilos for the head. They are made of cane, leather and tyvec, a material used in book-binding (for the manes and tails). The torso is reinforced with aluminium and able to carry a rider on top.

Joey, Topthorn and Joey as a Foal are each operated by three puppeteers – the Head, the Heart and the Hind. The three puppeteers work together to create the character of each horse and to produce the horse noises.

Puppeteers train for eight weeks before they begin performing. Their training includes basic principles of puppetry before they work specifically on creating the horses.

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 6th August 2018

I’m not one to gossip but………Take a look at Cher’s lips in the movie Mamma Mia Here We Go Again what is going on with her lips – HELLO! Her lower lip seems to be enormous and she draws her lipstick on to make it look smaller. The US gossip paper National Enquirer explained it all! Cher got tired of having frequent lip injections in the 90’s and she was one of the first to get permanent lip implants. As she aged, the implant on the bottom sank lower and lower on her chin, giving her that weird look. This unexpected turn of events might make other people think twice about getting that procedure!

Here’s a picture of Cher’s lips at an event July 17.

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New Zealand Wizard Backstage With Dynamo.

Auckland magician Mick Peck received a once in a lifetime opportunity on Sunday night when he met superstar of magic Dynamo backstage after his last New Zealand performance.

Both are members of The Magic Circle of London, the world’s most exclusive magic society. Mick says that meeting Dynamo was a brilliant experience and he was able to chat magic with him and swap a few secrets.

“What Dynamo has done for magic internationally is just fantastic,” he says.

“Magic is an art form and Dynamo has modernised it and made it accessible for a whole new generation”. Mick Peck got his start in magic at school and now makes his living performing sleight of hand magic at corporate events throughout the country.

He was admitted to The Magic Circle of London in 2015 and named New Zealand Variety Entertainer of the Year in 2016.

The true story of the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy will be portrayed on the big screen for the first time in Jon S. Baird’s new film Stan & Ollie.

And Steve Coogan, 52, and John C. Reilly, 53, transformed into the iconic characters in the film’s first promotional image, which was released on Friday.

The actors, who are well-established comedians in their own right, were almost unrecognisable as Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly).

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The rise and fall of Michael Barrymore!

English comic Nick Cassenbaum is warm and likeable in this bizarre comedic hour dedicated to the rise and downfall of entertainer Michael Barrymore. The show is a mixed bag, with nostalgic flashbacks to This is Your Life and Strike it Lucky, a vast range of celebrity impressions and a whole heap of audience interaction. Cassenbaum navigates two narratives throughout: Michael Barrymore’s life and times, as well as his own early path to a career in entertaining.

The show is fun and very silly. Keyboardist and co-performer Andy is a highlight, funnily playing the goofy sidekick and assistant. The chaotic and high energy delivery gets wearisome, however, with several less-than-seamless moments. Cassenbaum’s overall point is that clowns and entertainers are hugely important and that society is callous in its instant rejection of figures who were once much loved. It’s hard, however, to really believe his sombre delivery of this point after an hour of ‘the Celebritree’ and Cheryl Cole impersonations. The balance is off, making the serious moments jarring and uncomfortable.

Overall, this is an interactive, amusing performance exploring the importance of childhood heroes and Barrymore’s impact on Nick Cassenbaum and the entertainment world at large.

“I go away back with Rosie and that’s not the Rosie I know,” Tim said. “She was the most diverse and tolerant woman I’ve ever known for a long time. Whatever got in her head, isn’t the Roseanne I know.”

Tim‘s show Last Man Standing was axed by ABC after six seasons and was picked up for a seventh season by FOX.

“It’s a very icy time. I’m a veteran comedian for 38 years and I’ve never seen it, like Lenny Bruce said at the Purple Onion, ‘We’ve gone backwards.’ There are things you can’t say. There are things you shouldn’t say,” Tim continued. “Who makes up these rules? And as a stand-up comic, it’s a dangerous position to be in because I like pushing buttons. It’s unfortunate.”

The Roseanne reboot was cancelled by ABC after Roseanne‘s racist tweets.

“I’ve worked for ABC for years…I don’t really believe it was a political decision,” Tim added. “I think it was a financial decision…I thought it was done very poorly, that’s my point of view. I was heartbroken.”

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She is known for her youthful and glamorous appearance, despite her impressive 85 years.

And DameJoan Collins is almost unrecognisable while playing a woman of the same age, having transformed into an OAP in new short film, Gerry.

Posing in promo shots for the film, the actress looks worlds away from her usual self in frumpy clothing and gaunt prosthetics, as she takes on the role of Hilda – a lonely pensioner in an old people’s home. The usually dolled-up star is nowhere to be seen in the film, with Joan sporting fake wrinkles, dark circles and a dishevelled head of hair.

Clutching a tray of half-eaten food and wearing a small wreath on her chest, Joan shoots a devastating look at the camera, as her character celebrates another lonely Christmas in the home.

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Paris Jackson is feeling just fine. The 20-year-old actress and artist responded to false rumours spreading on the internet that she was planning to return to rehab following Demi Loatio’s hospitalization on her Instagram Story on Wednesday (August 1).

“ummm no?? I haven’t gone to a clinic, someone doesn’t have to almost die for me to know to be healthy, I’ve already had friends OD and die. That’s enough for me,” she wrote in response to the rumour.”

She later made a video message on her IG Story directly addressing the rumour.

“To all my friends sending me really sweet messages letting me know you’re here for me through tough times or whatever: I’m not going back to rehab or a clinic. That was just bulls–t rumors online. Please don’t believe everything you read,” she confirmed.

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Robert Willis stays where his mother died in order to remember her, as the anniversary of the legend’s death approaches

Cilla Black’s son has told the UK Mirror how he keeps the memory of his beloved mum alive by sleeping in the ­holiday villa bedroom where she died.

Robert Willis said the Spanish hideaway was a “joyful place” where Cilla and hubby Bobby enjoyed many happy times.

Singer and Blind Date host Cilla passed away on August 1, 2015. And as this week’s anniversary approached, Robert insisted he and his brothers would never sell the villa in Estepona, near Marbella.

Robert, 48, found his mum dead on her bedroom balcony.

She and Bobby had the villa built and after he died from cancer in 1999, aged 57, the home continued to be Cilla’s sanctuary.

Showbiz pals including Sir Cliff Richard visited and Cilla loved to watch her ­grandkids splash in the pool.

Robert said: “Mum thought about getting rid of the villa after my dad died, but she couldn’t because she loved it too much.

“Now we feel the same way. Because she died there it is even more special, I suppose. I’ll never get rid of it or rent it out.

“I use her room now. I still refer to it as Mum’s Room but she wouldn’t have wanted it to be a room we couldn’t go into, a shrine.

“The house is a joyful place and still is, despite what happened. That’s what she would have wanted. I have great memories, from playing in the pool as a kid to seeing my own kids playing in the pool there.”

Medics believe Cilla suffered a stroke following a fall. She had spent her last hours quaffing champagne and watching Jeremy Kyle on the TV.

Robert and brothers Ben, 44, and Jack, 38, have maintained the villa as it was. They’ve even kept Cilla’s ­favourite cream suede sofa.

He added: “It’s a sofa that’s meant to be looked at, not sat on. We put towels on it. Water will stain it – never mind wine.

“Now I’m less paranoid about it. Before, with the kids, it was a full-scale ­operation to make sure it didn’t get ruined.”

But while they’ll never sell Cilla’s Spanish hideaway, they rent out her property in Barbados and earlier this year sold her main home in Denham, Bucks.

While clearing out Cilla’s belongings, Robert found lots of unreleased ­recordings and footage of his mum performing – some captured by Bobby at the height of her 1960s fame

Robert, who was Cilla’s manager, spent a tearful seven hours listening to the unheard tapes.

He said: “It was a poignant moment, standing in the kitchen, knowing we were selling the family home we’ve had since 1970. There were tons of tapes because they never threw away anything.

“I picked out an orange one and put it in the cassette player. It was her talking in ­concert. She said, ‘I’m going to sing Liverpool Lullaby.’

This was a song she used to sing to me, Jack and Ben. It was incredibly emotional. I got a bit choked, but I felt like it was meant to be.”

Robert also revealed how after Cilla’s death he drew comfort from the massive outpouring of love from her fans, who he still meets at her Liverpool grave.

He went on: “When I visit the grave, it’s a moment of reflection.

“There are always flowers and notes from fans and they become part of that reflection. It never fails to surprise me.

“I thought by now it would have ­possibly quietened down. It’s incredibly moving people still feel the need to pay their respects.”

Cilla won a place in the ­nation’s heart first as a chart-topper with hits such as Step Inside Love – then as much-loved host of Blind Date, ­always wishing ­contestants a “lorra, lorra luck”.

Robert said he would have loved to chat to Cilla about current TV dating show Love Island. He said: “She’d probably have been shocked, but would have also found it funny.”

He also wishes he could hear her ­hooting with laughter with best pal Paul O’Grady, 63. Robert continued: “Every now and again Paul and I have a long natter. He’s a really lovely guy.

“They were great friends and I’m forever grateful she had someone like that in her life after Dad died.

“She was bereft and quite vulnerable, ­because Dad always took care of her and it was the two of them against the world.

“Thankfully Paul was there to look after her. She was still in love with my dad and never really got over it, but she was still able to have good times and she and Paul were really funny together.”

Thousands of fans saluted Cilla at her funeral in Liverpool. Last year a statue of her was unveiled at the city’s Cavern Club, where Cilla sang in the 1960s.

Now Robert has thrown himself into immortalising his mum on stage.

Cilla: The Musical, a touring stage ­version of the TV drama that starred Sheridan Smith, has won rave reviews and hits the road again on August 21 in the UK.

Cilla read the first draft of the script and gave the show the green light.

Robert said: “The spirit of my mum and dad – the energy they had together – lives on in the show. That makes me feel enormously proud and happy. It’s great.”

Cilla’s family won’t get together to mark her anniversary this week. They prefer to toast her May 27 birthday with her favourite tipple – champagne – and a lorra, lorra laughs.

Robert said: “Mum approached a lot of things with laughter, even in darker times. She was funny even when she didn’t intend to be.

“So I try to be positive. Did she go too soon? Probably. But did she have the quality of life she wanted?

“Yes, she had it in bucketloads. And I know Mum and Dad are together. That’s incredibly comforting.”

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Catherine Zeta-Jones and her 15-year-old daughter with Michael Douglas, Carys Zeta Douglas, are on the cover of Town & Country magazine’s September 2015 issue, on newsstands August 7!

Here’s what the mother-daughter duo had to share with the mag:

Carys, on not realize her dad was an actor when she was young: “I thought my dad was a pancake maker. I didn’t know he was an actor. Honestly.”

Carys, on bonding with her mom over fashion: “Fashion has been so important in my life, because my mom is like a fashion icon to me. I’m always looking through her closet.”

Catherine, on what she’s most proud of for her kids: “What I instilled in my kids, and I’m very, very proud of it, is manners. There’s nothing worse than a privileged kid without manners. I drilled it into them like boot camp. The teenage years…She [Carys] knows she cannot roll her eyes at me, or huff and puff around me. I never did it to my mother; and she’s not doing it to me.”

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In a series of interviews spanning more than three decades from 1965 to 1996, two-time Oscar winner Shelley Winters shares her thoughts and memories of her friend and former roommate, Marilyn Monroe. The two lived together for about a year when both were young actresses looking for their big breaks.

Both did with Marilyn starring in such classics as Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, Bus Stop, and The Seven Year Itch. Sadly she died at age 36 but continues to be a major popular culture icon.

Miss Winterswon won Academy Awards for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) and A Patch of Blue (1965), and received nominations for A Place in the Sun (1951) and The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Other roles Winters appeared in include A Double Life (1947), The Night of the Hunter (1955), Lolita (1962), Alfie (1966).

Her career was long and included a recurring role on Roseanne in the 1990s as the title character’s grandmother. She died in 2006 at the age of 85.

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Actor Alan Alda, well known for his Emmy-winning work on M.A.S.H. and The West Wing, among many other films and TV shows, has announced he has Parkinson’s disease.

The 82-year-old actor went on CBS to reveal the news. He was first diagnosed three and a half years ago.

“And the reason that I want to talk about it in public…I noticed, I’ve been on television a lot in the last couple weeks….And I could see my thumb twitch in some shots. And I thought, it’s probably only a matter of time before somebody does a story about this from a sad point of view. But that’s not where I am,” Alan said.

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Jennifer Aniston is on the cover of In Style magazine’s September 2018 issue, on newsstands August 10.

Here’s what the actress had to share with the mag…

On how she reacts to false headlines: “There are definitely moments of not being balanced and poised, but I do that all in my own personal space. For the most part I can sit back and laugh at the ridiculous headlines because they have gotten more and more absurd. I guess they’re feeding into some sort of need the public has, but I focus on my work, my friends, my animals, and how we can make the world a better place. That other stuff is junk food that needs to go back in its drawer.”

On her experience with sexual harassment in the workplace: “I’ve definitely had some sloppy moves made on me by other actors, and I handled it by walking away. I’ve never had anyone in a position of power make me feel uncomfortable and leverage that over me. In my personal experience I’ve been treated worse verbally and energetically by some women in this industry.”

On the misconceptions about her love life: “The misconceptions are ‘Jen can’t keep a man,’ and ‘Jen refuses to have a baby because she’s selfish and committed to her career.’ Or that I’m sad and heartbroken. First, with all due respect, I’m not heartbroken. And second, those are reckless assumptions. No one knows what’s going on behind closed doors. No one considers how sensitive that might be for my partner and me. They don’t know what I’ve been through medically or emotionally. There is a pressure on women to be mothers, and if they are not, then they’re deemed damaged goods. Maybe my purpose on this planet isn’t to procreate. Maybe I have other things I’m supposed to do?”

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Star Wars icon and best-selling author Carrie Fisher talking about Elizabeth Taylor, the woman who broke up her parents’ marriage. Her parents, of course, were Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher who were widely known as America’s Sweethearts in the 1950s.

Eddie leaving Debbie and the kids for Elizabeth (who later left Eddie for Richard Burton) remains one of the biggest scandals in Hollywood history.

But there was a happy ending for the women involved. Elizabeth and Debbie became friends again and Carrie wrote a movie, These Old Broads, for them to star together in.

Here is Carrie talking about her one-time stepmother through the years.

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Madonna left the United States for Lisbon, Portugal and everyone was left with one question: why? Did PresidentDonald Trump drive her out? Is she moving closer to son Rocco in the UK?

Well, the star admitted it was all for her son David, who wants to play professional soccer. According to the Queen of Pop, the US just isn’t that good at the sport. Whereas the homeland of demi-god Cristiano Ronaldo is.

But it turns out that the move to the Portuguese capital definitely wasn’t a downgrade for one of the most glamorous women in the media. In fact, she loves it – and it even influenced her new record.

Talking to Vogue Italia, she said: ‘So I went to Lisbon, and it seemed the best all around choice. [Portugal is] steeped in history, and the Portuguese empire has made its dent in the world.

‘The architecture is amazing. It’s also the birthplace of slavery, and so there are musical influences which come from Angola and Cape Verde, and also from Spain.’

She also says that the city’s culture has influenced the music on her new record: ‘You’ll always hear lots of fado and lots of kuduro music from Angola.

‘A lot of jazz also – old school jazz, which is pretty cool.’

She added: ‘I don’t see how I could have gone through that year without being informed by all this input of culture.’

Of course, the star lives in the luxurious Lapa district, also known as the aristocratic district. Madonna announced she moved from the USA to Portugal in September 2017.

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

Monday 30th July 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… if you want an amazing night’s entertainment I would recommend The Variety Artists Club of New Zealand’s awards night. Mix and mingle with the cream of New Zealand’s entertainment world, this is one of the best night’s entertainment plus dinner you will ever have.

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Here’s another great night of entertainment that you should’nt miss!

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A sensational report in one of this week’s tabloids alleges that Robin Williams’ suicide was a cover-up and that he was actually murdered by drug dealers. The story is speculative, illogical and entirely untrue. This story can debunk the ridiculous conspiracy theory.

The cover of this week’s Globe reads, “Finally After 4 Years… Found! Robin Williams Murder Weapon.” The accompanying article says the late comedy star was “murdered with a blood splattered knife found at the scene of his death.” From the very start, there are holes in this story. The pocket knife in question was found near Williams when police discovered his body in August 2014. Even if the magazine’s premise about the actor being stabbed to death were true, which it isn’t, how is it that the weapon was “found” four years later? The knife has been known about since the time of the actor’s passing.

Additionally, Marin County coroners revealed at the time of Williams’ suicide that he had “superficial cuts on his left wrist.” A superficial wound only causes injury to the topmost layer of the skin and doesn’t result in bleeding to death. Instead, autopsy results revealed that the cause of Williams’ death was asphyxia and hanging.. Once again, the tabloid’s far-fetched tale doesn’t add up. Even if Williams was murdered by drug dealers, which he wasn’t, the outlet’s story would only hold a minimal amount of weight if it said the killers strangled him to death. Globe, however, is going with the flawed premise that the assailants used a knife.

As for a motive behind the “murder,” the tabloid theorizes that after kicking his cocaine addiction, Williams “could have left dealers angry he was no longer a customer, or he quit while still owing them money.” However, Williams’ widow Susan Schneider revealed in a 2015 interview with ABC News that her husband had been “completely clean and sober” for eight years when he died. Using the tabloid’s faulty logic, the drug dealers that killed Williams either waited around for eight years until becoming upset that he was no longer a customer, or it took them eight years to realize he owed them money.

Meanwhile, many of late actor’s loved ones have spoken about his death over the years, but not a single one of them has ever suspected foul play. Back in 2016, Williams’ widow penned an essay detailing the final months her husband’s life, during which he was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, a progressive disease that results in impaired thinking, memory loss, paranoia and other mental disorders. “Robin was losing his mind and he was aware of it,” Schneider wrote in her essay. “Can you imagine the pain he felt as he experienced himself disintegrating?”

Billy Crystal revealed in a biography about Williams that he also witnessed the demise of the comic’s health during his final days. “He was thinner and he seemed a little frail,” said Crystal. In that same biography, Williams’ makeup artist said the comedian often turned to her for emotional support while “sobbing” on the set of Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, and also had trouble remembering his lines.

It’s clear that Williams’ brain disease took a toll on his mental state and played a major factor in his suicide. No one who knew the actor personally has ever come close to suggesting that his death was at the hands of drug dealers or anyone else. Not a single aspect of the tabloid’s story makes sense, including the explanation for how Williams died and the motives behind an alleged “murder.”

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The 2018 Kennedy Center Honourees have been announced!

This year, superstar performer Cher, composer and pianist Philip Glass, country music entertainer Reba McEntire and jazz saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter will all be honoured. In addition, the creators of Hamilton – writer and actor Lin-Manuel Miranda, director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and music director Alex Lacamoire – will receive a unique Kennedy Center Honours for creating the smash musical that has “changed the face of American culture.”

“The Kennedy Center Honours recognizes exceptional artists who have made enduring and indelible marks on our culture,” Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein said in a statement. “Cher is the consummate star, wowing generations of fans with her distinctive voice, blockbuster albums, and glittering on-screen presence; Philip Glass is a modern-day Mozart whose works across opera, symphony, chamber music, and film define contemporary music and simply transfix us; Country songstress Reba McEntire has inspired us over four decades with her powerhouse voice and music that conveys heartfelt, heart-warming honesty; Wayne Shorter is a seminal artist who, as both a composer and saxophonist, has carried forward the mantle of jazz; and the creators of Hamilton have literally and figuratively changed the face of American culture with daringly original, breathtakingly relevant work.”

The ceremony will air on US TV on December 26, 2018.

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Speculation has swirled over if and when Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia De Rossi might have children. However, the TV star has addressed her decision not to have children – despite wanting them when she was younger.

‘When I was younger I really wanted to have a baby – I thought I would adopt,’ she says in her latest interview. The Ellen actress was speaking to Jerry Seinfeld on his Netflix talk show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.

‘I never thought I would have a baby [biologically] but I thought I would want kids,’ she said.

To this Jerry says: ‘You still could.’ Ellen responds: ‘No, Portia doesn’t want kids. Portia doesn’t like the squealing when they’re in a pool. That high-pitched squealing of joy that they have. She doesn’t like that. But she wants more horses. Which I don’t!’

Ellen married her wife Portia, who has acted in TV shows Scandal and Arrested Development, in 2008

The Ellen DeGeneres Show host furthermore addressed parenthood in 2016 an interview with Sunday Style.

‘We talked about it…’ she admitted. ‘But we just decided we like our conversations not interrupted and our furniture without sticky grape juice on it.’ Ellen married her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, in 2008

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Dennis Quaid is opening up about his past cocaine addiction, and how he overcame the drug.

“I grew up in the ’60s and the ’70s and there was a completely different attitude about [drugs] back then. It was even in some movie budgets. I kept roaring on,” the 64-year-old actor said on the Today show. “ was basically doing cocaine pretty much on a daily basis during the 80s.”

“I spent many, many a night screaming at God to please take this away from me. , ‘I’ll never do it again because I’ve only got an hour before I have to be at work. At about four o’clock in the afternoon I would go, ‘That’s not so bad,’” he added.

He had an experience that helped him realize he needed to get clean. “I had what I call a ‘white light experience’ where I saw myself either dead or losing everything that meant anything to me,” he said.

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Liza Minnelli is auctioning off her wedding dress, family photos with mother Judy Garland, and a number of awards.

The Cabaret star, now 72, is auctioning off more than 2,000 of her belongings, including items belonging to her parents, Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli.

The auction, set to start on July 30, includes Minnelli’s dress from her 2002 wedding to the late David Gest, who died in 2016.

The auction booklet describes the “elaborately beaded wedding gown by Bob Mackie… worn by Liza for her wedding to David Gest. Also up for auction is the commemorative plaque presented to Minnelli when she was inaugurated into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as her father’s matching plaque. Globe and Academy Award nomination certificates, a Caring for Those with AIDS Award, a RIAA American Legend award, a Cannes Film Festival Tribute award, and three Las Vegas Entertainment Awards trophies – as well as her father’s Screen Directors Guild awards.

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I was never a great fan of Joan Rivers I thought she was a potty mouthed mean comedian. I have to say though, I had met her socially a number of times and she was totally different. I put Joan and Kathy Griffin in the same category. Whereas the iconic Phyllis Diller who I knew personally for 45 year, I never heard her utter a four letter word on for off stage or a mean nasty word about any celebrities.

I have to say I don’t think Kathy was being fair to Ellen DeGeneres in her most recent LA show because Ellen was not a fan of Joan’s kind of humour.

The American show business bible Variety reports that Kathy got into a fight with Ellen after Joan died.

“One of the things that really hurt Joan, and we talked about it at our last meal together, was that Ellen always shunned her and Ellen thought she was vulgar and not funny,” Kathy said, noting that Ellen thinks she’s also too vulgar. But when Joan died, Kathy wanted to reach out.

“I just called her and I just said, ‘Look, woman to woman, comic to comic, I think you need to let go of your hatred for Joan Rivers. She’s passed away, just do a f—ing tribute, be cool,’” Kathy said.

But according to Kathy, Ellen wasn’t having it and responded that “there’s a difference between mean and funny” and Joan was mean.

“That f—ing set me off,” Kathy admitted. “So we had a fight in which I used inflammatory words like, ‘Look you f—ing untalented hack.’ … You know when you’re fighting with someone and you can kind of laugh at a point? Yeah, not that day.”

A couple of days later, Kathy said she texted Ellen to say she couldn’t stop thinking about the fight they had. “It was so ‘Dynasty’ that I demand to be Alexis as long as you’re Krystle,” she recalled writing. “I think we should do a scene in the pool, I think there should be big hats [and] that bitch didn’t even respond! But that was a good idea!”

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Break a leg! A dictionary of theatrical quotations

Compiled by Michele Brown is a great read for anyone interested in movie stars.

Within my scintillating Larryography, published in 1996 and still available on Amazon for 1p, I quoted Lord Olivier to the effect that ‘the theatre is no fit place for a grown-up person’.

He meant that all this dressing up and showing off was an infantile and attention-seeking pursuit. The funny voices, silly walks, false noses.

In Michele Brown’s compendium of old and shiny chestnuts, Olivier comes out with the same idea.

One of the quotes collected saw Richard Burton refer to his wife Liz Taylor as having a ‘double chin, short legs and a pot belly’

Acting, he says, ‘is hardly the occupation of an adult’ — and if Break A Leg! can be thought to have an underlying theme, it is that a large dollop of crude childishness is required.

Katharine Hepburn saw her job as ‘just waiting for the custard pie’ — the element of surprise or humiliation; the punchline and the plot twist.

Patrick Troughton said stage acting was ‘shouting in the evening’ — making your presence felt, hollering until noticed.

I also liked Sinead Cusack’s belief that ‘acting is the shy person’s revenge on the world’. What a solace it can be for the meek to be given a polished script in advance.

Michele Brown’s book is a dictionary of quotes from the world of theater about actresses and directors

This is what Oscar Wilde meant when he claimed that the theatre was so much more real than real life, which by contrast is muddled, frightening and inconsequential.

Childishness can mean a blissful, winning innocence: ‘And what have you done, Miss Seyler?’ a casting-director once asked the great Athene Seyler, who was in lots of comedy classics with Terry-Thomas. ‘Do you mean this morning?’, she replied sweetly.

But mostly brattishness seems to admit beastliness. How cruel actors are, when summing each other up.

‘You haven’t enough personality to worry a leading man,’ Laurence Olivier told Anthony Quayle, crushingly. To Dustin Hoffman — who, in order to play a scene in Marathon Man where he was to look exhausted, didn’t sleep for three nights — he suggested: ‘My dear boy, why don’t you just try acting? It’s so much easier.’

I wonder how Elizabeth Taylor felt when Richard Burton said of her chivalrously: ‘She has an incipient double chin, her legs are too short, and she has a slight pot belly.’ The critics were no kinder — they called her performance in The Little Foxes, in 1981, ‘as grisly as an undertakers’ picnic’.

Indeed, there’s more than a touch of sexism and misogyny, if not outright sadism, in many of the comments Michele Brown has gathered about actresses.

‘Diana Rigg is built like a brick mausoleum with insufficient flying buttresses’; ‘Vivien Leigh had big hands and packed a hefty slap’; ‘Mae West is a plumber’s idea of Cleopatra’; ‘Two things should be cut. The second act and Bonnie Langford’s throat.’

A quote from Maggie Smith, reads: ‘One went to school, one wanted to act, one started to act, and one is still acting’

Women fare only marginally less well than directors who, like parents or schoolteachers, are there to be mocked. ‘My attitude to make-up is the same as my attitude to directors,’ said Denholm Elliott. ‘Never use them.’

Wilfrid Hyde-White was similarly dismissive. ‘The only time the director is of any use to me is if I’ve left my script in the car and he volunteers to fetch it.’ This will be why, in film after film, these sterling actors gave exactly the same performance — though I am reminded of what Peter Sellers said of producers: that their sole purpose, as far as he was concerned, was ‘to make sure my dry-cleaning gets done’.

If you call on an actor or actress backstage after the show, the best way to soothe their rampant and insecure ego is to come out with something ambiguous and non-committal.

‘My dear chap! Good isn’t the word!’ was W. S. Gilbert’s favourite line. It’s lucky Tolstoy never encountered Shakespeare, as the Russian thought the Bard’s plays ‘cruel, immoral, vulgar and senseless’. I’m sure George VI kept his opinion of Ralph Richardson private: ‘I don’t know his name but he’s got a face like half a teapot.’

Sexist comments are common with one referring to Mae West: ‘Mae West is a plumber’s idea of Cleopatra’

The funniest remark in this book is attributed to choreographer Robert Helpmann, who said: ‘The trouble with nude dancing is that not everything stops when the music stops.’

I also liked the fatalism of David Niven: ‘I always knew that if all else failed I could be an actor — and all else failed.’

Or what about Maggie Smith, whose autobiography is the shortest in the history of the world: ‘One went to school, one wanted to act, one started to act, and one is still acting.’ Perhaps she could flesh it out with some photographs? In a revealing comment, Katharine Hepburn saw her job as ‘just waiting for the custard pie’ — the element of humiliation

This dictionary of theatrical quotations, which is a perfect bedside companion, is introduced by Gyles Brandreth who, when he was at Oxford and before he married Michele Brown, devised a pantomime in which the Fairy Queen was played by Eliza Manningham-Buller, later the head of MI5. Brandreth also proposed a musical version of Waiting For Godot, which was sternly blocked by Samuel Beckett. (It is surely apocryphal that it was going to be called Talk Of The Devil, Here Comes Godot!)

As I leafed through the inevitable chapters on George Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward, what I did begin to wonder was: where are all the more recent personalities?

From the evidence presented, theatrical anecdotes abruptly ceased with Peter O’Toole (‘Sobriety’s a real turn-on for me. You can see what you’re doing.’) and Tallulah Bankhead (‘Cocaine isn’t habit-forming. I should know. I’ve been using it for years’).

Someone clearly got on the bad side of Vivien Leigh, describer her: ‘Vivien Leigh had big hands and packed a hefty slap’

Why has no amusing remark been made or daft tale wittily recorded in over a half a century? Is it because actors and actresses now take what they do tremendously seriously and the play-pen element has gone?

Are they too boringly grown up? It’ll be another of those puritanical side-effects ushered in along with Pilates, sparkling water, socialism, veganism, early nights, virtue-signalling and gender-neutral toilets (which have already been installed at the Barbican Centre).

A famous quote form Tallulah Bankhead said: ‘Cocaine isn’t habit-forming. I should know. I’ve been using it for years’

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Fresh from their sold out world tour including Australia, France, London and Holland (to name a few) The Bootleg Beach Boys today announce a 19-venue tour of New Zealand starting next week.

A fully costumed show that takes you right from the very beginning of The Beach Boys and through their career will feature classic hits and cult favourites from California’s most famous band.

From surf themed anthems such as Surfin’ Safari & Surfer Girl to muscle car memorable’s like Shut Down & Fun Fun Fun, the band have gathered a truly impressive repertoire of West Coast, harmony-laden songs, that evoke the spirit and essence of the pursuit of the 1960s American dream.

The band tackle such classics as In My Room, God Only Knows, Good Vibrations and Help Me Rhonda in their hit heavy set, but also pay homage to the genius of Brian Wilson in the form of selections from the seminal Pet Sounds, and cult favourites from the legendary Smile album.

This blend of five vocals and infectious sun-soaked gems makes for a memorable night to celebratesome of the finest music committed to tape over four decades.

In several interviews from 1988, Bette Davis throws serious shade at Faye Dunaway, with whom she co-starred in the 1976 TV movie The Disappearance of Aimee. This is five years after her stroke and a year before her death and Miss Davis.

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Doll maker NECA have unveiled its first Golden Girls action figures, each based on the characters from the show.

The Golden Girls ran on TV from 1985 to 1992. The sitcom followed the lives of four older women who lived together in Miami Florida. They were Dorothy (Beatrice Arthur) and her mom, Sofia (Estelle Getty), Rose (Betty White), and Blanche (Rue McClanahan). Betty is the only one still alive.

NECA says the dolls, which stand 8” tall each and are dressed in real fabric clothing, will begin shipping in the first quarter of 2019.

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Lily James and Amanda Seyfried are already thinking about another Mamma Mia movie! During an interview chat, Lily and Amanda opened up about how they could star in another Mamma Mia movie together, even though their characters lived in different decades. “I would love to work with Lily in the next one which would be ridiculous because it wouldn’t make sense…or would it?” Amanda joked.

Lily added, “You know, I always thought a really cool wish would be to be friends with your parents when they were young. So how cool if you could like come back, we could be friends in the 70s as mother and daughter but friends! Like Back to the Future!”

It sounds like the next Mamma Mia could involve some time travelling!

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Taylor Swift has joined the cast of the film adaptation of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash musical Cats!

It’s unclear what part she will play in the movie, which will begin filming later this year in the UK.

Jennifer Hudson, James Corden and Sir Ian McKellen have all been announced to join the cast as well. It’s been revealed that Jennifer will be playing the role of Grizabella, Variety magazine reports. You

may recognize Grizabella’s famous song from the musical, “Memory.” We do not yet know what roles Taylor, James, or Sir Ian will take on at this time. The last movie Taylor was featured in as an actress was 2014′s The Giver. She was also featured in 2010′s Valentine’s Day.

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It’s the recent lawsuit filed by a location manager on the set of a movie Johnny Depp was filming that clearly illustrates what Johnny Depp has become. While shooting City of Lies, the location manager arranged for overtime shooting at a downtown location because Johnny wanted two friends included in a scene. The location manager is responsible for obtaining permits and obeying city laws and the shoot time could not be further extended. Depp had been drinking and chainsmoking on the set all day, and nobody wanted to confront him – especially the director. He told the location guy to inform Johnny that time was up. When the location manager told Johnny that they had to wrap the scene, Johnny punched him twice in the ribs after screaming “Who the f—are YOU? You have no right to tell ME what to do!” The egotistical and petulant Depp then challenged the location manager to punch him in the face and said he’d give him $100,000. Depp was removed from the set by his bodyguards. Later the director, along with producers, COVERED UP for Johnny by minimizing the disgraceful incident. This cover-up, which happens so often in Hollywood, is even more toxic than Depp’s behavior – especially in the light of #MeToo. Lately the self-indulgent Johnny has been blaming everyone else for his problems- money managers, ex-wives etc – but he has clearly evolved into a monster. Again, we say Amber Heard was right.

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Before Ang Lee headed out into the wilderness with Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger to film what would become the award-winning Brokeback Mountain, the project had experienced some major hiccups.

Gus Van Sant (Milk, Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho) was originally slated to direct the film, but in a new interview he reveals that of all the “big names” he approached for the lead roles, “nobody wanted to do it.” Speaking to IndieWire, he said: “I was working on it, and I felt like we needed a really strong cast, like a famous cast. That wasn’t working out. I asked the usual suspects: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Ryan Phillippe. They all said no.” Producer and screenwriter Diana Ossana, who along with Larry McMurtry adapted the original Annie Proulx short story into a screenplay, seconded that sentiment in an email to IndieWire.

“Yes, all those young gentlemen (at the time) turned down the project, for various reasons,” she wrote. Earlier this year, Ossana spoke at a Q&A about the same problem around casting. She also mentioned Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg as two stars who turned the project down.“They didn’t give us any real excuse why they wouldn’t. I guess they saw it as too difficult.” To make matters even more difficult, Ledger wasn’t even a top choice to play ranch hand Ennis Del Mar. “Nobody wanted Heath but me and Larry. The studio felt he wasn’t macho enough,” she said. He went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the film, as did Gyllenhaal. Eventually, the casting difficulties made Van Sant lose some of the passion he felt for making the film.

“What I could have done, and what I probably should have done,” he said, “was cast more unknowns, not worried about who were the lead actors. I was not ready. I’m not sure why. There was just sort of a hiccup on my part. There was something off with myself, I guess, whatever was going on.”

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Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s three daughters were in the audience for Bruce’s Comedy Central Roast and they reportedly laughed the loudest at the jokes about their dad. The sisters admit they all grew up feeling self-conscious due to bullies making comments that they weren’t as attractive as their mother. And recently they admitted they are all in recovery for various alcohol, drug, and eating disorders. Rumer, 29, has been appearing on the Empire series while her sisters have been dabbling in acting and behind–the-scenes jobs in wardrobe and art departments.

In the picture, Scout Willis, 26, Rumer Willis, 29, and Tallulah, 24.

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Last Tuesday 17th would have been my dear friend Phyllis Diller’s 101st birthday. Here is one of the last interviews she did with me, a lovely lady, a great comic and a wonderful human being. Phyllis Diller was one of a kind, there will never be another Phyllis Diller I miss her not being around. She died on the 6th August 2012 at the age of 95.

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This quote from the iconic actor and Monthy Python founder, John Cleese, has been floating around. I had to share it because it’s SO very very British, correct and SO polite. Well mostly!

“My American friends are asking me about President Trumps’s observation that the British ‘like him.’

I regret this is quite unfounded.

The explanation for this canard is that Trump is pronoid.

Pronoid is the opposite of paranoid. A paranoid person thinks, without any basis in reality, that everybody is out to get them. A pronoid person is someone who thinks, without any basis in reality, that everybody likes them.

The fact is that the British loathe Donald Trump.

This is because he is the polar opposite of a ‘Gentleman’, who has qualities the British admire. A fine example is Gareth Southgate.

To the British, a ‘Gentleman’ is a man who is modest, well-mannered, self deprecating, quietly intelligent, considerate of other people’s feeling, and well-informed.

He is not vulgar, inflated, vain, boastful, noisily ignorant, sleazy and common as muck.

I hope this clears up any confusion.”

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Lily James is on the cover of Allure magazine’s August 2018 issue!

Here’s what the 29-year-old Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again star had to share with the mag…

On not letting work get in the way of enjoying her life: “You could go home early and sleep and not drink beer and not have a club sandwich when you get in at 2 in the morning…But that’s not as fun. I don’t want to look back and think, I wish I’d made more of my life and the people in it. I don’t want that to be the cost of being an actor. It’s not worth it.”

On being anonymous in public: “I can just hang out in bowling alleys with loads of kids…I don’t think people expect to see Cinderella in jeans bowling at midday or in a pub having a pint.”

On what happened the first time she met Meryl Streep (she’s playing the younger version of Meryl’s character in Mamma Mia): “She was singing this song, and it’s a beautiful song, and it made me cry…. I just hugged her and said hi. She’s such a cool woman.”

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Lucie Arnaz co-star with her mother on Here’s Lucy for many years, but here in New Zealand we don’t hear much about Lucie. So here is an update on her very full career.

We all watched the antics of Kim Carter, her uncle Harry (Gale Gordon), her brother Craig (Desi Arnaz Jr.) and her mom, Lucy Carter, who, of course, was played by the legendary Lucille Ball.

This was a clear case of nepotism being warranted because her six seasons on the sitcom launched Lucie’s career that has included Broadway (They’re Playing Our Song), the London stage (Witches of Eastwick), movies (The Jazz Singer) and her own television sitcom (The Lucie Arnaz Show).

Like her mom, Lucie is widely known to be a total professional and in addition to her own performing career, she has maintained the legacy of her parents classic TV show I Love Lucy.

Here’s a great profile on Lucie Arnaz.

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A gigantic statue of Jeff Goldblum in his famous pose as Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park has been erected in London, England! In honour of the 25th anniversary of Jurassic Park‘s release in the UK,

The statue weighs 331 pounds, is almost 23 feet long, almost 10 feet high, and took over six weeks to build. After the statue was placed in the field, fans and tourists began flocking to see the huge monument. Of course, the statue pays homage to the hugely famous pose from the first film where Jeff is lounging shirtless after a dinosaur attack..

Without doubt, one of the most popular and recognisable cultural icons in the world today.

“He has gone where no man has gone before, chased down criminals in an unnamed city strangely resembling Los Angeles and fought off demons while speaking Esperanto. And a half-century into his Hollywood career, he still has the. Most. Recognizable. Cadence. In Showbiz. At 87, William Shatner has no plans to slow down.” Washington Post

Tickets for Shatner’s World go on sale on pre-sale from the 25 July
and will be available to the General Public from 30 July.

William Shatner, pop culture icon, television superstar and raconteur extraordinaire, is returning to NZ with SHATNER’S WORLD – THE RETURN DOWN UNDER this October in Auckland, and for the very first time, Christchurch and Wellington.

Sharing more stories, songs, jokes and musings Shatner’s World, THE RETURN DOWN UNDER takes audiences on a 100 minute theatrical voyage through his life and career, from Shakespearean stage actor to internationally acclaimed icon and raconteur, known as much for his unique persona as his expansive body of work including Star Trek, Boston Legal, the publication of 30 books and the release of several spoken word albums, his latest, a soon to be released country music album and Christmas album!

“I’ve done this one-man show on Broadway and in many cities across the United States,” said William Shatner. “At the curtain call, the audiences’ reaction, their love and appreciation, moved me to tears. This show has been one of the highlights of my life.”

Bringing it back to where it all started is very special. With “The Return Down Under” I’ll be bringing more stories and songs. When you have been around and have worked in this business for as long as I have, there’s a heck of a lot to share. New Zealand audiences will also be able to hear some of my latest musical endeavours performed live for the very first time. It’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun.

Shatner’s World has been described as a, “chatty, digressive, and often amusing tour of his [Shatner’s] unusual acting career,” by the New York Times, “a fun evening of personal reminiscence, gossip, video clips and old-fashioned humor,” by AM New York and “equal parts endearing and funny – a mixture of two worlds, really: every day and rarefied,” by The Philadelphia Enquirer. Shatner himself has been praised as, “the most confident of performers,” by The Record and “a personality of galactic proportions,” by the New York Post. Shatner’s humour and ability to poke fun at himself, make this show a must-see memoir of a Hollywood veteran’s life.

Shatner is an award-winning actor, director, producer, writer, recording artist, philanthropist and horseman. In 1966, he introduced the character of Captain James T. Kirk in the television series “Star Trek.” The series became a film franchise with Shatner as Kirk in seven movies, one of which he directed. He also played the title role in the hit series “T.J. Hooker” before hosting TV’s first reality-based series “Rescue 911.” Shatner won two Emmys and his first Golden Globe for his portrayal of Denny Crane on “The Practice” and “Boston Legal” and received four additional Emmy nominations as well as Golden Globes and SAG Awards.

Off screen, Shatner has authored over 30 bestsellers in both the fiction and non-fiction genres. His autobiography “Up Till Now” was a New York Times bestseller and in 2011 he released “Shatner Rules,” a collection of rules illustrated with stories from his personal life and career. In 2016 Shatner released “Leonard: My Fifty Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man” about his enduring friendship with the late Leonard Nimoy.

He has also been successful in another area—horse breeding. A dedicated breeder of American Quarter horses, he has had enormous success with the American Saddlebred, developing and riding world champions and has won numerous world championships in several events.

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… A couple of weeks ago I finished reading PRINCESS LEIA AND UNSINKABLE TAMMY IN HELL, the media-savvy mother Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher team that rocked Hollywood, I enjoyed every page turn. The book is not in New Zealand books stores – mores the pity – so if you want a copy you will have to get it on line. I have mentioned this book before, but it is well worth a second mention. I throughly recommend this book, but it’s not for the faint hearted

This hot, two-in-one biography examines the complicated co-dependencies of the greatest but most dysfunctional mother-daughter act in showbiz, Debbie Reynolds and her talented, often traumatized daughter, Carrie Fisher. After years of feuds and separations, they reunited at the end of their lives. Today, their legions of fans like to think they’re each doing fine, together in some galaxy far, far away.

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher were the greatest mother-daughter act in show business. Frank Sinatra stole her virginity, but she married pop singer Eddie Fisher for the “official deflowering” (her words). Through storm and rain, Debbie battled on, hitting a high point when she starred as Tammy in 1957 and her most memorable role was in 1964, when she was cast in the rags-to riches saga of The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Each of her three marriages was a disaster, the second one to a millionaire shoe manufacturing mogul who bankrupted both of them. Impoverished after the divorce, she ended up sleeping in her car. Debbie mingled with the elite of Hollywood in the dying days of its Golden Age. Luminaries included Clark Gable (“if I were only twenty years younger….); Judy Garland (who propositioned her); Lana Turner; Bette Davis (“she was my daughter”) and Glenn Ford, who fell in love with her.
A rebellious daughter, Carrie grew up to endure a life of living hell-pill popping, drug abuse, chronic anxiety, failed love affairs, bipolar disorder, and electroshock therapy. Carrie sometimes protested: “I don’t want to be the daughter of Debbie Reynolds. I battled demons that set my brain on fire.” International celebrity came in 1977, when she played Princess Leia in Star Wars as an elaborately coiffed intergalactic princess, spearheading “The Force,” and strong enough to oppose the villainy of Darth Vader.

Listen to Danforth Prince, co-author of their new biography, discusses their INTER-GALACTIC LEGACIES with book reviewer JIM JUNOT.

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“Nunsense – The Mega Musical”4-18th August 2018

When the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook (Sister Julia, Child of God) has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, they are in dire need of funds for the burials. They decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show. So they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth-grade production, and mayhem ensues!

All the fun of the original Nunsense, Harlequin Musical Theatre is excited to present this super-sized version! Starring the original five nuns and featuring new characters, songs and dance numbers, Nunsense The Mega Musical has been called “A hail of fun and frolic” by The New York Times.

Directed by John Fausett the musical comedy shares an entertaining story that will amuse audiences of all ages and faiths. I have seen this musical a couple of times overseas, and the show is a hoot this is a great night out at the theatre………don’t miss it, please!

Meghan Markle is “98 pounds and pregnant,” according to the Globe gossip magazine’s cover story. This report was designed to make readers think both the Duchess of Sussex and her alleged baby are “in danger,” but none of it is true just more false news. The mag is saying that she is pregnant taking a punt just in case she is. Then if it is announced while their magazine is out, they can follow through in their next issue by saying, “We told you so last week.”

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Downton Abbey is becoming a movie!

Focus Features announced the exciting news that the company has set production with Carnival Films on a film from the hit television series – and the principal cast is all set to return.

The show’s screenplay writer Julian Fellowes is also returning as a co-producer. Brian Percival, who directed the pilot, will direct the film.

The original television series, which ran for six seasons, followed the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who worked for them at the turn of the 20th century in an Edwardian English country home.

“When the television series drew to a close it was our dream to bring the millions of global fans a movie and now, after getting many stars aligned, we are shortly to go into production. Julian’s script charms, thrills and entertains and in Brian Percival’s hands we aim to deliver everything that one would hope for as Downton comes to the big screen,” said Carnival exec Gareth Neame.

“Since the series ended, fans of Downton have long been waiting for the Crawley family’s next chapter. We’re thrilled to join this incredible group of filmmakers, actors and craftspeople, led by Julian Fellowes and Gareth Neame, in bringing back the world of Downton to the big screen,” added Focus exec Peter Kujawski.

Production will begin later this summer.

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Al Roker sat down with Rita Moreno on the US TV show The Today Show this week (see link below ) to talk about her iconic roles, including her breakout in “West Side Story.” Moreno opened up about the good times she’s had in Hollywood over the years as well as the rough times she’s faced, including harassment because of her ethnicity and some difficult personal relationships.

Moreno came to the US from Puerto Rico at the age of five in the 1930s and immediately found out, first-hand, what racism is: “Certain people didn’t like me, on sight.”

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Robin Wright was reportedly the driving force behind bringing House of Cards back for a sixth season following Kevin Spacey’s sexual misconduct scandal.

According to her co-star Patricia Clarkson,Robin worked alongside the HOC showrunners to ensure the show wasn’t cancelled and those working on the series kept their jobs.

“It was truly the great Robin Wright rallying. We have beautiful showrunners, Frank [Pugliese] and Melissa [James Gibson], and they killed themselves to rethink the whole show. It’s only eight episodes,” Patricia explained.

She added, “Robin led all of this charge so that people would save their livelihoods because when the show goes away some people don’t get paid. I think it’s gonna be a stunning, stunning new season.”

Production on House of Cards season six began earlier this year but does not yet have a premiere date.

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Damn Yankees! actor and 1950s Hollywood heartthrob Tab Hunter has sadly passed away at the age of 86, just a few days shy of his 87th birthday.

Tab’s partner of over three decades, Allan Glaser, confirmed that he passed away due to a blood clot that caused a heart attack.

Tab Hunter was born Arthur Gelien in New York in 1931. He relocated to California with his mother after his parents split up when he was still a child.

He shot to fame in Hollywood in the 1950s. The first role that really began to get him noticed was as Robert Mitchum’s younger brother in Track of the Cat (1955).

He then starred in Battlecry (1955), Warner Bros’ biggest hit of the year. Hollywood stardom ensued, and he was Warner’s most popular male star between 1955-59.

He also had a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with Young Love, enjoyed a short-lived sitcom on US TV in the early 1960s, and played numerous theatrical roles.

Hiding his sexuality and coming out.

At a time when homosexuality was strictly taboo, Hunter kept his sexuality secret, although he had relationships with fellow actor Anthony Perkins (of Psycho fame), and figure skater Robbie Robertson. Up until his death, he had been with partner, producer Allan Glaser for 35 years.

Although his fame waned in the late 60s and 1970s, his was rediscovered by younger generations by appearing in John Waters’ cult classic, Polyester, opposite Divine, in 1981.

After decades of rumours, Hunter publicly acknowledged his sexuality in his best-selling, 2005 memoir, Tab Hunter Confidential. The book was later turned into a documentary that played at LGBTI film festivals around the world. Hunter personally appeared at some screenings to take part in Q&A sessions.

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Celebrate the beauty and style of one of Hollywood’s most promising actresses and glamorous 1960s fashion icons with PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF SHARON TATE on November 16 and 17 live in Los Angeles and online auction at JuliensLive.com.

Known as one of Hollywood’s most magnetic stars of the era, actress and model Sharon Tate’s life and style embodied the very essence of the decade now known as the swinging 60’s. Tate was amongst the celebrities that influenced the sights and sounds of that era’s culture, joining the likes of Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy. All prices are in USA dollars.

Highlights include a custom made chocolate slubbed silk dress attributed as being made by William Travilla and worn by Sharon Tate while being interviewed on the 1968 documentary The New Cinema (estimate: $5000-$7000); a black floral lace Christian Dior mini dress worn by Tate to the London premiere of Roman Polanski’s 1966 film Cul-de-Sac (estimate: $15,000-$30,000); Tate’s chocolate sheer silk Alba gown worn at the 1968 Golden Globe Awards with Polanski (estimate: $4,000-$6,000); the ivory silk moiré mini wedding dress worn at her London Chelsea Registry wedding to Roman Polanski in 1968 (estimate: $25,000-$50,000); Tate’s green knit mini dress designed by Betsey Johnson for Paraphernalia worn at the Paris 1967 premiere of The Fearless Vampire Killer (estimate: $1,000-$2,000); Tate’s chocolate mink swing coat designed by “Fuhrman’s Beverly Hills” with asymmetrical collar and fur puffs for buttons (estimate: $20,000-$40,000); Tate’s makeup including Revlon black eyeliner in black and in white and a Maybelline eyebrow pencil (estimate: $300-$500); her 1957 copy of “The Paradox of Acting” by Dennis Diderot with “Masks or Faces” by William Archer inscribed “Sharon Tate” in Tate’s hand (estimate: $800-$1,200); a set of blue floral canvas and leather carry-on luggage monogrammed “ST” in which Tate and Roman Polanski were shown photographed with while returning from their honeymoon in 1968 (estimate: $1,000-$2,000); a two toned jersey mini dress worn by Tate while attending the Cannes Film Festival with Roman Polanski in 1968 (estimate: $5,000-$7,000) and more.

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The 2018 Emmy Awards nominations have finally been revealed!

There are lots of familiar faces on this list, as well as a handful of first-time nominees!

2018 Primetime Emmy Awards, which are set to air, live coast-to-coast on NBC on Monday (September 17) in the USA.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA
The Americans
The Crown
Game of Thrones
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Ed Harris, Westworld
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Jeff Daniels, Godless
Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
Ricky Martin, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Finn Wittorck, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Michael Stuhlbag, The Looming Tower
John Leguizamo, Waco

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
At Home With Amy Sedaris
Drunk History
I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live
Tracey Ullman’s Show

VARIETY TALK SERIES
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

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Revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela – known by his tribe as Madiba – would have been 100 this month. In celebration of his birthday and his legacy, a compelling new stage show Madiba the Musical – a Celebration of Nelson Mandela is today announced for New Zealand.

Beginning its world tour in France and soon to arrive in Australia, this international production is interwoven with stories of the fight against apartheid and forbidden love in a troubled land. The musical pays tribute to New Zealand and the dramatic part it played in bringing an end to apartheid.

Also timed to mark 25 years since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, Madiba the Musical features African dance and vocal traditions set alongside eternal love songs and stirring anthems in a show that tells of Mandela’s lifework as a lawyer and activist for peace through the story of young artist Will, who is the victim of apartheid in South Africa.

French writers Alicia Sebrien and Jean-Pierre Hadida said in creating Madiba The Musical, they wanted to tell the story of Mandela’s pursuit of peace and reconciliation in his homeland.

“There are no languages that are more universal than music and dancing to reconcile nations, cultures, religions and generations,” the show’s creators said.

“We want to remember Madiba; Nelson Mandela is certainly the last providential figure of the 20th century.”

Shortly after Mandela’s death in 2013, his Xhosa clan name Madiba emerged worldwide in condolences. The clan or family name represents a person’s ancestry and is used as a sign of respect and affection.

Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, spent 27 years in prison for fighting racist white rule and became South Africa’s first black president in 1994, serving one five-year term.

Director of the current French production Pierre-Yves Duchesne says he has incorporated modern stage technology in Madiba The Musical, with the animated sketchbook images of the young artist character to be projected on to the stage screen backdrop.

“Nelson Mandela’s vision of the world was truly turned towards the future, and that is why the stage direction must look towards modernity,” Duchesne said.

French reviews have praised the production’s staging and describe Madiba The Musical as “a powerful and generous work”, “the essence of a fight for humanity” and “a show that touches our hearts”.

Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 9th July 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… A new tabloid report claiming Angelina Jolie collapsed amid her custody battle with Brad Pitt is completely untrue. This story can debunk the story. It’s both deceptive and inaccurate.

The cover of this week’s National Enquirer reads, “Brad Wins Custody As 79-LB Angie Collapses!” Only, Pitt hasn’t won custody of their children, Jolie’s weight hasn’t dropped that low and she didn’t pass out. Instead, the unreliable magazine is using the latest development in the exes’ custody negotiations to attack Jolie’s well-being.

Last month, a judge presiding over Pitt and Jolie’s case ruled that the actress must allow her estranged husband to have more visitations with their six kids. The court even stated that the actress could risk losing primary custody of the children if she didn’t follow the order. Despite Pitt getting to spend more time with them, the kids are still living with Jolie in London as she films Maleficent 2. He hasn’t “won custody” as the tabloid claims.

Still, according to the Enquirer, the stress of the situation resulted in the actress fainting during her visit to a refugee camp in Iraq last month. “Angelina was walking went white as a ghost and became dizzy,” an alleged insider tells the magazine. “She was clearly in a pretty bad way. She was so gaunt it seemed the life had totally drained out of her.”

To illustrate its phony story, the publication uses a photo of what appears to be Jolie losing her balance and falling backwards. Only, this incident didn’t occur in Iraq last month. In fact, it didn’t occur in reality. The image was taken back in 2007 while Jodie was filming a scene in Chicago for the action movie Wanted. The tabloid is using a decade-old photo from the set of a movie to try and dupe readers into believing the actress’s custody battle caused her to collapse.

As for the claim that the actress only weighs 78 pounds, the magazine has been alleging for years that Jolie’s health is in danger due to her weight. The outlet even has a habit of choosing an arbitrary number and assigning it to her. According to the tabloid’s calculations, the past few years have seen the actress go from 90 pounds to 76 pounds, and now back up to 78. It’s a baseless tactic the magazine keeps recycling.

People, a much more reliable celebrity news publication, reported last month that Jolie is “doing great” amid the custody battle with Pitt. And earlier this week, the magazine noted that Jolie looked “happy and relaxed” while taking her kids to see the musical Wicked in London. On the other hand, the Enquirer’s latest article is collapsing under the weight of its lies.

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Jodie Foster is on the cover of the latest issue of PorterEdit magazine.

Here’s what the 55-year-old Contact actress had to say…

On how women are questioning past behaviours in the wake of #MeToo: “I don’t think there is a woman I know, who doesn’t look back on when they were 15, 16, 17 or 18, who doesn’t put their hand on their head and say: ‘Why did I do that? Why was I like that? Why wasn’t I confident? Why didn’t I say no?’”

On how having an industry-savvy mother may have protected her from Hollywood’s abusers: “The weird cauldron that made me ­– working from the time I was three years old, supporting my family by the time that I was seven, super-strong mom, over-confident personality, celebrity young enough that I learned to be stand-offish… I think there’s a whole bunch of reasons why I didn’t have the same path as someone who came to Hollywood at 22 with two cents in her pocket and just wanted more than anything else to be an actor; it’s just a different life.”

On celebrating Pride Month: “Every day is gay-pride day for me.”

On how she didn’t want her children to know she was famous: “I didn’t want them to know about my celebrity at all. I remember when my son was about four; he thought I was a construction worker.”

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Russell Crowe spent the day at Universal Studios in Hollywood on Thursday, but it’s likely that he was not recognized by that many fans!

The 54-year-old Oscar-winning actor barely looked like the guy you’re used to seeing on the big screen. He sported a big bushy beard while enjoying the park.

Russell was spotted while finishing up a ride on the Transformers ride.

You can see Russell next in the upcoming movie Boy Erased, which was just pushed back to a release date of November 2.

He wore a blue t-shirt with dark pants, beige shoes, a black baseball cap, and a pair of brown sunglasses.

That same day, it was announced that he and his wife Livia Giuggioli had settled out of court with her ex-lover Marco Brancaccis in their stalking scandal case.

If you missed it, it was revealed that Livia had an affair with Marco while briefly separated from Colin between 2015 and 2016, leading the couple to accuse him of stalking her when the affair ended.

“In the best interests of their families, the parties have agreed a private settlement,” lawyers for both parties told People magazine. “Therefore the parties have asked the court for a postponement of the preliminary hearing in order to formalize the agreement. From this point on, this agreement precludes any further public statement by any of the parties about this matter.”

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David Cassidy’s ashes will be spread abound at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, it was revealed amid a family fracas with the musician’s ex-girlfriend Maura Rossi,TMZ reported.

The Partridge Family star was cremated following his death at 67 on November 21, 2017 as result of liver failure.

His remains have been kept in a cremation unit since then, which has upset Rossi to the point she claims she’s unable to sleep or eat, according to the outlet.

Rossi feels she’s been shunned by David’s surviving relatives since his death late last year, and believes it to be disrespectful that his ashes are in storage, according to the outlet.

The outlet reported that the idea was always to have his ashes distributred at the racetrack, a favorite haven on his over the past 30 years, as he was an ardent fan of horse racing, and bred and owned a number of racehorses throughout his life.

In the wake of his passing, horse trainer Arthur Silvera recalled how Cassidy ‘was somewhat of a fixture’ at the Saratoga track, ‘and the topic of conversation was 99 percent horses and horse racing.

‘He had so much passion for horses and horse racing,’ the horse trainer told Thoroughbred Daily News last November of Cassidy.

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Will Smith recently took a break from filming his new movie Gemini Man to sit down for an interview with Tidal’s Rap Radar podcast.

During the interview, the 49-year-old actor was asked about his 20th wedding anniversary to Jada Pinkett Smith.

“We don’t even say we’re married anymore,” Will said. “We refer to ourselves as life partners, where you get into that space where you realize you are literally with somebody for the rest of your life. There’s no deal breakers. There’s nothing she could do—ever. Nothing that would break our relationship. She has my support till death and it feels so good to get to that space.”

The couple married back on December 31, 1997.

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Vanessa Kirby is gorgeous in green on the cover of Marie Claire UK‘s August 2018 issue.

Here is what the 30-year-old The Crown and Mission: Impossible – Fallout actress had to share with the mag:

On meeting co-star Tom Cruise for the first time: “I tried to just meet the man really, and the man is so different to any stuff you’d read, because it always is. It helped me to see that all the stuff that gets written is just such a load of bullshit about everyone.”

On dating rumours that surfaced after an on-set kiss with Tom: “Even though the [film] crew were there, it was all [in the tabloids] like, ‘The next wife falls at his feet.’ The most disconcerting thing was the people I didn’t think would believe it, did, and they were texting my boyfriend, asking, ‘Are you OK?’ I don’t think they believe anything they read now because you just can’t. None of it is real. To be getting married to him? Not even a snog, it was marriage.”

On how fame has impacted her life: “It is a weird feeling. I definitely don’t feel it yet. I’ve been lucky because I barely get recognized, and I keep my relationship super private. [My boyfriend Callum Turner’s) just completely wonderful and he’s my best friend, so that’s… I guess you can either choose to talk about it or not. If you talk about it, it becomes interesting to people, but if you don’t, then it’s not.”

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Scarlett Johansson’s new movie role is based a real-life cross-dressing lesbian from the 1970s.

The project, Rub & Tug, reunites her with Ghost in the Shell director Rupert Sanders. New Regency won the rights to the movie in a high-bidding auction.

Rub & Tug tells the story of Jean Marie Gill, a lesbian in 1970s Pittsburgh who was able to thrive in a male-dominated society by assuming the identity of a man.

She clashed with the mob and became a crime kingpin in her own right through illicit massage parlors, prostitution, and steroids for Pittsburgh’s NFL team the Steelers.

When assuming the identity of Dante ‘Tex’ Gill, Jean Marie was able to start an empire.

The movie will also explore her relationship with her girlfriend Cynthia, which Deadline describes as a ‘fiery romance’.

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Katie Holmes is giving her daughter Suri a taste of culture in Paris – they spent the afternoon at the Louvre looking at art. Later Katie and Suri went to the Fendi couture show. We can’t help but mention that Tom Cruise is not that far away in London. Will there be a secret meeting with Suri? It HAS to be a secret because Tom lives at Scientology headquarters in London like the one John Travolta lives at in Florida. Six years ago Tom sued In Touch magazine for reporting that he had abandoned his daughter, but in his deposition he admitted he hadn’t seen her in 110 days and ended up dropping the suit.

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Roseanne Barr might not be done with television, after all.

The Roseanne actress and comedian, who had her sitcom cancelled following racist remarks on Twitter, opened up in an interview about her possible return.

“I’ve already been offered so many things and I almost already accepted one really good offer to go back on TV and I might do it. But we’ll see,” she said during Rabbi Shmuley Boteach‘s podcast. “I thought signing off of my own life’s work and asking for nothing in return, I thought that was a penance,” she added.

New Zealand’s brightest opera stars will celebrate their swansong performance on home soil in a fiery yet intimate production of one of the world’s best-known stories of thwarted love, Romeo and Juliet at the Mercury Theatre next month.

Award-winning singers Madison Nonoa and Filipe Manu will play the leads in Auckland Opera Studio’s two 90-minute, two-act production of the great and angry Vincenzo Bellini opera I Capuleti e i Montecchi.

Written in 1829 it is the story of Romeo & Juliet and the Libretto is from the from the Italian Giulietta Romeo written two years before. It has remained a staple on the opera stages of the world since its first performance on the 11 March, 1830.

This opera, is full of drama, anger, courage, love and desperation as the two opposing Mafia families fight it out over the consequences of the proposed union (desired by Romeo and Juliet) of these historically opposed families.

Following their performances in Romeo & Juliet, the pair will head back to London to complete their final year at the most prestigious opera training programme at the Guildhall of Music in London which they have were accepted into, without audition.

Tickets to this spectacular production on 24 & 26 August are on sale now via iTicket.

Madison and Filipe have either won or placed in the top two or three of nearly every opera singing competition in New Zealand and Australia.

Patron and studio director Frances Wilson-Fitzgerald says it’s a rare opportunity for audiences to see two of New Zealand’s best emerging talents in one of the great operas.

Ironically, the singers have often competed against each other, with Filipe awarded the Dame Malvina Emerging Artists Internship by New Zealand Opera in 2015, and Madison in 2016. Filipe and Madison competed against each other in the Lexus Song Quest 2016, placing second and third respectively.

Frances says, “We chose to stage I Capuleti e i Montecchi because not only is it a great, great opera that is rarely performed these days, but as the Italian interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, it was an ideal match for Madison and Filipe who are both physically gorgeous, gifted singers with majestic voices – I Capuleti e i Montecchi is a lyrical bel canto opera, which means ‘beautiful singing’, after all.

“Not that it’s a soppy love story. I Capuleti e i Montecchi is a great feast of an opera. It’s full of everything; it’s quite angry really, because it tells the story of two mafia families at the time and how enraged they were by this relationship.”

The opera takes place over two acts and was composed by Vincenzo Bellini in 1830. Although the story of Romeo and Juliet was made famous by William Shakespeare, it has been a common story theme in Italian literature for centuries.

Frances says, “Bellini’s opera is not performed all that often these days because it is very long at more than three hours. But we have cut it to an hour-and-a-half. In the full length version, some songs can be repeated five or six times, but we’ve limited the repetition.

“Our total cast numbers just five, with a chorus to represent the armies offstage. The supporting actors are Damian Arnold, Wade Kernot and Joel Amosa, all of whom are raising young stars. This production will stretch the performers and take them to a new level of sophistication of technique.”

The chair of the Auckland Opera Studio charitable trust, Gillian Peebles, says that instead of a full orchestra, the studio will present a staged production of the famous opera, which will be accompanied by piano, flute, clarinet and a French Horn.

Gillian says, “The audience can expect to experience the full, exquisite beauty of this period as well as great drama that has everything; anger, bravery, love and desperation as two opposing mafia families fight it out over the consequences of what they deem an undesirable, proposed union.

“The great thing about opera is that it has everything, music, singing, acting, costumes and props and drama. Plenty of drama. We would encourage anybody who has never experienced opera to come along to this production, it’s the perfect introduction.”

New Zealand’s most celebrated playwright Roger Hall pits a group of female teachers together with a school counsellor and a reluctant daughter for a weekend of bushwalking, sparkling wine and sparkling comedy.

The perfect pre-Christmas party for your friends, social club
and work colleagues.

What do you call six women stranded on a mountain in the rain: ridiculous! Or you could call them social climbers … just not to their faces!

Once at the hut, not only do they unload their packs full of food, wine, and a souvenir rock; their hang-ups get unloaded as well.

Torrential rain and a flooded bridge keep them stranded for three days. What they get up to, to help pass the time, raises a few eyebrows and will have you laughing, tearing up and applauding enthusiastically as they bare all.

Of course, it’s not just souls that are exposed, there’s a little nudity, a cracking thunderstorm, explosions, screaming bloody murder, ghostly stories, a birthday celebration, a séance, a drunken party, confessions, melt downs and revelations that will keep you and your friends entertained throughout.

Perfectly timed for your own social group’s ascent into summer, don’t miss this hilarious play when it comes to a town near you in November.

SOCIAL CLIMBERS, written by Roger Hall, the first playwright to win a Prime Minister’s Literary award.

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 2nd July 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… It was a painful loss for movie fans when actress and screenwriter Carrie Fisher and her mother, Oscar-nominated actress Debbie Reynolds, passed away within hours of one another in December 2016. But no one would have felt the pain more acutely than Todd Fisher, who writes about his sister and mother in his new memoir, My Girls. Tracy Smith of CBS Sunday Morning sits down with Fisher to discuss a lifetime in the orbit of two irrepressible Hollywood stars.

I had the pleasure of meeting Debbie and number of times, she was the true Hollywood star the last of the Golden age of Hollywood icons. She always had a good story to tell and her two autobiographies are well worth a read. Unfortunately this book will not be available in books stores, so if you want a copy it’s the internet to get one.

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An article claiming Prince George was “targeted” by an “ISIS sniper” is nothing but fake news. The tabloid is using an old photo that was widely seen at the time to sensationally claim Kate Middleton and Prince William’s son “cheated death.”

The latest cover of the National Enquirer exclaims, “ISIS Kill Plot Foiled! Sniper Caught Stalking Prince George!” In a purported “world exclusive,” the magazine is claiming to have a picture showing “the heart-stopping moment little Prince George cheated death.” The photo shows the future king walking hand-in-hand with his father and his teacher outside of his school. The outlet focuses on the upper left corner of the supposedly “chilling image,” contending that a “man is leaning out of a window” and “appears to be holding a rifle and looking down at the two royals.”

“What happened next is unknown, but a Buckingham Palace source believes brilliant police work averted a tragedy,” claims the publication. This so-called “source” is quoted as saying, “Clearly, security stopped whoever it was without incident. Both Prince George and his father are obviously alive, as is the teacher.” Speculates this alleged insider, “It’s possible the sniper was captured, or that he decided not to take the shot.”

But this is really just wild, unsubstantiated conjecture. And what the supermarket tabloid fails to tell readers is that its “photo exclusive” is not really an “exclusive” at all. The magazine purposefully doesn’t give the date of the snapshot because it is more than six months old. The photos were taken as Price William escorted Prince George to his first day of school last September. For this outrageous “sniper” storyline, it appears the outlet took a screengrab from a video of Prince George’s arrival, in which a person is indeed seen in an open window at the building behind the royal father and son.

But there’s nothing to even remotely suggest the person is an ISIS-connected “sniper,” versus, say, a nosy neighbour observing a historical milestone for the heir to the throne. And significantly, no reputable outlet ever reported anything about a “kill plot” being thwarted on Prince George’s first day of school. In fact, well into the article, the publication changes from implying the person in the window was a “sniper” to claiming “the man in the window was actually part of a team of officers who have taken up residence in a home overlooking the school — to protect George.” And then, confusingly, the tabloid switches back again with its questionable “source” asserting, “It’s shocking the Enquirer obtained the real photo with the man leaning out of the window!”

Yeah, there’s nothing “shocking” going on here….just more FAKE NEWS from the US gossip tabloid!

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Suri Cruise is 12 now and she’s growing up to be a cute and happy pre-teen. As far as anyone knows, (and there are plenty of watchers) Tom Cruise has not seen Suri since she was seven years old because Scientology wants him to “disconnect.” Recently Star magazine claimed that Tom is planning a reunion, which might or might not happen – we doubt that they have any inside information. Tabloids are free to write anything they want about celebrities as long as it isn’t litigious or career damaging. Since Tom has obviously chosen Scientology over his own daughter, a reunion might not be such a good thing, anyway.

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Angelina Jolie is looking simply stunning while arriving for the Service of Commemoration and Dedication, marking the 200th anniversary of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England.

If you don’t know, the Order of St. Michael and St George it is awarded to men or women for “service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, for example, the work of foreign-service officers and diplomats.”

Angelina waved to fans as she left the affair, and even met one lucky young girl!

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After Paris Jackson tragically lost her beloved father Michael Jackson in 2009, she became even closer with Grandfather Joe Jackson in keeping his memory alive. Now she’s mourning the loss of her beloved grandpa, who passed away after a battle with an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer on June 27 at 89-years-old.

Paris, 20, was with him until the very end, and wrote a heartfelt Instagram post detailing her precious final memories with Joe. Next to a photo showing her tattooed hand holding on to Joe’s while he was in the hospital, she wrote “RIP The HAWK. Joseph Jackson. Spending those last few moments with you were everything. Being able to tell you everything I needed to tell you before saying goodbye was such a blessing.”

On reuniting with his co-stars, Bryan said, “You can’t just move on. Something that was so indelible and meaningful in your life and you can’t, and I don’t want to. I want to hold on to those good memories of that gathering, both then and during our seven years together. So, it’s a bit melancholy, actually. Bittersweet.”

Aaron added, “I love these people. I feel blessed to have shared this incredible experience that is Breaking Bad with each and every one of these people. I remember when we were shooting the first season, [co-star Dan Morris) and I were talking, he goes, ‘You know, in ten years, we’re going to look back and say, ‘Goddammit! I used to be a part of Breaking Bad!’ And now it’s crazy that 10 years has passed, and I am still constantly thinking that. It’s like, wow, how lucky we all are.”

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I was rather disappointed when Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb collected his knighthood at Bucking Palace; he paid a moving tribute to his late twin brothers and fellow band members Maurice and Robin. But there was no mention of the family’s other musical star Andy. It may be hard to believe now, but the youngest brother was once considered the Gibb most likely to become a major star.

Andy was deemed to be so talented that he was dissuaded from joining the Bee Gees on the grounds that he had what it took to make it on his own.

And for a brief period in the late 1970s and early 1980s it looked as if the advice was good.

Andy was just 19 when his first single, I Just Want To Be Your Everything, hit the top of the US charts in 1977.

He was nominated for two Grammys and made nearly $2million (US) that year and had sold 15 million records worldwide by the time he was 21.

What’s more, having divorced the 18-year-old receptionist he had married just before fame struck, he embarked on a relationship with Victoria Principal, the actress then riding high in the blockbuster TV series Dallas.

But it was too good to last. From these giddy heights Andy’s life took a now familiar trajectory.

His dabbling in cocaine became a fully fledged drug addiction. His celebrity girlfriend gave him an ultimatum – the narcotics or me – and ditched him when he failed to get help.

Anguished by her rejection, his drug use spiralled, the hits stopped coming and by 1987 he had been declared bankrupt.

While he did eventually go into rehab, the damage had been done. On March 7, 1988, he checked into Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital complaining of chest pains.

On March 10, at 8.30am, his doctor walked in and told Andy that more tests were needed. “Fine,” said the patient, but a few moments later he slumped into unconsciousness and within a few minutes his heart failed and he was dead. It was five days after his 30th birthday.

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The Cher Show, the musical based on Cher’s life starring three Cher’s (at different points in her life), is currently trying out in Chicago before going to Broadway. Cher was in the audience this past weekend, and after the show, The Chicago Tribune asked her what she thought. Let’s put it this way: at no point did the cast and crew hear a low voice in the orchestra say, “Someone grab me a freakin’ pen so I can stab myself in the eye.” Cher said:

“Some parts of it are really fabulous. We’re going to work on the other parts. In many parts, it was much, much better than I thought it would be. And there were no parts where I wanted to gouge my eyes out. It needs work. I’m not supposed to say that but I don’t care.”

When asked what was going through her mind while she watched the show, Cher answered:

“That’s really hard to say. Sometimes, I was having a blast. Sometimes, my mind was wandering. I think those are the parts that are going to get better.”

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Jerry Seinfeld has now weighed in on the Roseanne Barr controversy after the actress was fired from her sitcom for a racist tweet.

“I didn’t see why it was necessary to fire her,” Jerry told the TV gossip show Entertainment Tonight.. “Why would you murder someone who’s committing suicide?”

He continued: “But I never saw someone ruin their entire career with one button push. That was fresh.”

Now that a spinoff of the ABC reboot has been ordered without Roseanne, Jerry says, “I think they should get another Roseanne. They brought Dan Conner back. He was dead, and they brought him back. So why can’t we get another Roseanne? There’s other funny women that could do that part.”

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Susan Sarandon broke the rules of royal etiquette while meeting Queen Elizabeth – but the Queen certainly didn’t seem to mind!

The actress approached the Queen at the Royal Windsor Cup polo match in Egham, England over the weekend to introduce herself. Royal etiquette suggests that guests should wait to be introduced to the Queen before speaking with her, Express UK reports.

Despite this minor infraction, the Queen did not seem to mind and greeted Susan with a big smile.

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David Beckham did not get a teacher pregnant, nor are he and Victoria Beckham on the verge of divorce. A tabloid is taking a cheating rumor it knows is false and using it to claim a “love child scandal” could lead to the couple breaking up. Here’s how the gossip went.

“Did Beckham Get His Daughter’s Teacher Pregnant?” Star asks on its new cover. The answer is no, and that has been known for weeks. Here’s what happened: In early June, a rumour went viral claiming David impregnated daughter Harper’s teacher. It was completely bogus, and even the woman’s dad spoke out to say she had never even met the soccer star. But despite this all being cleared up weeks ago, the tabloid is now using the situation to sell a salacious cover story about infidelity and an impending divorce.

The magazine claims that “with rumours abuzz that David Beckham is having a love child with his daughter’s teacher,” his marriage to Victoria is “in pieces.” It’s specifically alleged that she “broke down amid the buzz, and friends fret that the longtime lovebirds may be headed for a Becks-it.” A so-called “source” is quoted as saying, “David has denied it so many times, he’s sick of talking about it. But Posh just won’t let up.”

Suspiciously, in another quote, the singer-designer is referenced by her given name, with the outlet’s supposed snitch contending, “Victoria believes David when he says nothing is happening with the teacher, but the damage may be done.” Real people don’t switch names in a conversation like that. Still, the alleged tipster goes on to claim, “Their fight was so big that there’s no going back. A few days after the news broke, she phoned David to ask if their marriage was done for, and he couldn’t come up with an answer.”

A purported “worried friend” further asserts Victoria is now “waiting for David to notice her enough to get back to London and decide once and for all if it’s worth continuing their marriage.” The publication apparently didn’t even know that at the time of writing this false story David was already back in London, he was a guest at Buckingham Palace for the Young Leaders event hosted by the Queen. The tabloid also doesn’t mention that David shared on Instagram two weeks ago a photo of Victoria sitting by his side at a group dinner. That was after the false cheating rumour was debunked.

David and Victoria were also together this past week to celebrate her Sotheby’s collection. It’s quite apparent they are still spending time together and she doesn’t need to “wait” for him to “notice her.” In fact, with their wedding anniversary coming up in a few days, Victoria posted on Instagram that she’s been “shopping for a dress for my anniversary dinner” and scored the perfect outfit for their upcoming “date night.”

Conclusion:Star has taken a weeks-old false rumour that was thoroughly disputed and is wrongly using it to claim Victoria and David’s marriage is falling apart and they may split. But their own actions of late show they remain completely united as a couple. And, as noted above, the magazine and its alleged pal are clearly unaware of David’s current whereabouts, which means the rest of the assertions aren’t the least bit credible. We should dismiss the clearly inaccurate cover story as “more tabloid lies.”

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Lindsay Lohan gave a candid interview to the New York Times where she brought up her past, which includes numerous legal issues and arrests.

“I’m a normal, nice person. A good person. I don’t have any bad intentions. And my past has to stay in the past,” the 31-year-old actress explained. “Like, people have to just let go of it and stop bringing it up because it’s not — it’s gone. It’s dead. And that’s the most important thing to me.”

Lindsay also brought up her new home in Dubai, and why she likes living there versus America.

“It’s the safest place. It’s less demanding. America is always like, ‘Go go go go go!’ I don’t have to turn on the news and see about the Kardashians. I don’t have to see anything anymore. I choose what I want to see and how I want to live,” Lindsay added.

About her family relations, Lindsay added, “Look, I’m not in control of my family. I’m only in control of myself. We’re all friends. My mom and dad are friends, everyone’s good,” she said. “If anyone in my life for one second, I feel unsafe with, they’re out. Very simple. This is it. I’m not going to complicate things. Because I’m a caretaker, I always want to give to people.”

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It’s gratifying to see how intelligently MTV handled the misconduct allegations against Catfish TV host Nev Schulman. They put Catfish production on hold and hired an independent investigator to scrutinize the charges made by a woman who appeared on the show. She alleged that Nev pressured her to have sex with him. He denied the allegations and pointed out that coworkers present at that time would back him up. Investigators found the charges to be without merit, and Catfish resumed production. We’re happy to see that no one was instantly fired nor were shows abruptly cancelled until charges were thoroughly examined.

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In recent weeks there has been uproar across social media and news outlets in regards to the recent news that children are being ripped away from their parents at the border and moved to what can only be considered present day internment camps. When the details came to light many people reacted in a proactive manner, starting fundraising campaigns and urging people to call their congress people and say that they support SB 3036. SB 3036 is the “Keep Families Together Act”.

With so many people speaking out about their disgust with the situation it was only going to be a matter of time until art moved to speak to protesting the travesty.

Los Angeles based street artist Plastic Jesus debuted an art installation titled “Trump Hotel” at Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The art piece features a 48″ wire cage that has the gold Trump hotel logo on it in and is filled with teddy bears. The piece is intended to portray the internment of children. We attended the debut of the event and Plastic Jesus offered some insight on art piece as well as the current political situation.

I’ve been getting daily emails and social media messages from people asking me what I am gonna to do about Trump’s policy to separate families and incarcerate children and babies. Obviously I had to do something. Like so many people I found the imprisonment of children abhorrent. However it’s a very difficult subject to address in a way that doesn’t convey too much horror and sadness, and at the same time recognizes the gravity of the issue and respects the memory of those who were in Japanese Internment camps in the US or Nazi concentration camps. Hopefully this piece will not only add an artists’ perspective to the issue but will also signify the incarceration and imprisonment of children and the entrapment of innocence.

It was not a difficult piece to fabricate, comprising of a borrowed dog cage and a collection of Teddy Bears, wired into the cage. The idea of locating it on Trump’s star was an obvious one. The star is an accolade and if people realize the implications of Trump’s barbaric policies it hopefully makes people wonder why we celebrate this bigoted, racist and divisive president. I for one feel the star should be removed for his violations on human rights and promotion of racist ideas, not something Hollywood should not align with.

Once the piece was unveiled many people stopped to take note of the piece and get photos of it. It definitely did its part by starting conversations and causing confusion. The confusion led to bystanders stopping to get a better look at the piece to understand it.

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Richard Harrison of Pawn Stars fame has died at the age of 77.

The former navy officer is best known as the wise presence on the History Channel reality TV series which focused on three generations of one family working in a pawn shop located in Las Vegas. He went by the name Old Man.

His son, Rick Harrison, who was also on the TV series, broke the news with a touching statement on Monday morning. Later TMZ claimed he suffered from Parkinson’s Disease.

‘The Old Man Harrison passed away surrounded by those he loved,’ Rick revealed. ‘He will be tremendously missed by our family, the team at Gold & Silver Pawn and his many fans the world over.’

Rick added, ‘He was my hero and I was fortunate to get a very cool Old Man as my dad.’

Earlier this year I visited the Pawn Star shop in Las Vegas, if you’re going to Las Vegas it’s well worth a look.

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It was a huge weekend at the movies in America and Canada for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which topped the box office with a huge debut!

The sequel to Jurassic World grossed $150 million (US) in its first three days of release in the U.S. and Canada. The film, which was already in theaters for a couple weeks around the world, has now grossed $711.15 million (US) worldwide.

Box office experts were estimating the film would gross around $130 million (US), so it exceeded expectations!

Coming in second place was Incredibles 2 with a large second weekend total of $81.9 million for a 10-day total of $350.3 million at the domestic box office.

Rounding out the top five were Ocean’s 8 with $11.7 million (US), Tag with $8.2 million (US), and Deadpool 2 with $5 million (US).

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The Walk of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce our newest honourees to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Committee always tries to select a group of talented honourees that appeal in various genres of the entertainment world,” says Chairman and Walk of Famer Vin Di Bona, “I feel the Committee has outdone themselves and I know the fans, tourists and the Hollywood community will be pleased with our selections. We are excited to see each and every honoree’s face as they unveil that majestic star on Hollywood’s most famous walkway!”

In the category of LIVE THEATRE/LIVE PERFORMANCE:Idina Menzel, Cedric “The Entertainer”, Judith Light, and Paul Sorvino.

Now that you know who’s getting a star, here’s a list of who doesn’t have one. I feel these stars should have a star on the Walk of Fame, when you see some of the so-called stars who have one! Need I say more?

George Clooney

Leonardo DiCaprio

Bob Dylan

The Eagles

Clint Eastwood

Carrie Fisher

Guns ‘N Roses

Dustin Hoffman

Whitney Houston

David Lynch

Steve Martin

Brad Pitt

Prince

Julia Roberts

Sharon Tate

Denzel Washington

Frank Zappa

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 25th June 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… If there is only one concert you are going to this year make it Elaine Paige in Concert, either in Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland. I have seen Elaine in concert a number of times, and I have never been disappointed. She is outrageously talented the consummate professional performer, she has star quality in abundance. Elaine is also one of the nicest people in show business, I adore her both on and off the stage. PLEASE DO NOT MISS ELAINE PAIGE IN CONCERT, OR YOU WILL BE MISSING A REAL TREAT!

ELAINE PAIGE‘In Concert’

A SERIES OF CONCERTS FOR NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

Singer Elaine Paige has announced an 8-date series of concerts from October 10 to October 25 2018, which will see her perform songs from her illustrious career along side an array of her favourite tracks by contemporary songwriters.

This follows on from the huge successes of Elaine’s last series of concerts in the UK in 2016 and 2017, which had audiences and critics alike rising to their feet in praise.

Elaine said: “I’m so excited about taking this concert to more venues across the globe, we’ve had such a great time performing it over the past couple of years. It allows me to do something completely different, a brand new show celebrating songwriters I love such as Harry Nilsson, Jim Webb, Burt Bacharach, Lennon & McCartney, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber … the list goes on… as well as many of my hits such as I Know Him So Well, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina and of course my signature Memory. This music has been the soundtrack to all our lives, not just mine. And it’s the ideal opportunity to perform in an intimate way.”

“an exceptional show that represents both a carefully formulated evening’s entertainment and a genuine labour of love”–musicaltheatrereview.com

“a vocally remarkable and almost effortless performance … had the audience rising to their feet in rapturous applause”–redbrick.me

“With her biggest hit Memory from Cats and With One Look from Sunset Boulevard as part of the set list, it’s a moment you don’t want to miss.”–ManchestersFinest

Elaine has performed live in concert all over the world and as a recording artist has worked with legendary producers such as Tony Visconti, Dennis Lambert, Peter Matz, and Phil Ramone amongst others and has released 22 solo albums (4 multi-Platinum and 9 Gold,) been featured on 7 cast recordings and has had major worldwide hits with songs such as ‘Memory’ (Cats) and ‘I Know Him So Well’(Chess.)

As a musical theatre performer, Elaine has made a major contribution to the modern musical. She has starred in more smash hit West End and Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation and continues to present the hugely successful weekly BBC Radio 2 show Elaine Paige on Sunday, now approaching its 15th year on air, which is devoted to musical theatre and film music, and continues to delight audiences of over 2.5 million listeners each week with its mix of music, news and interviews.

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the lady who has quite rightly been given the epithet ‘First Lady Of Musical Theatre’ in an intimate, informal concert of epic proportion! A thousand times ‘bravo!” –North West End

“The night as a whole was sensational, and it was an honour to witness musical theatre royalty doing what she does best.”–Grapevine

Move over Adele. This is my favorite Carpool Karaoke ever! James Corden heads to Liverpool for a special day with Sir Paul McCartney spent exploring the city of Paul’s youth, visiting his childhood home where he wrote music with John Lennon, performing songs in a local pub and of course driving around singing a few of Paul’s biggest hits. Trust me this is well worth a look!

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A new musical based on the life of Michael Jackson is set for a run on Broadway in 2020. Well I guess it was only a matter of time for this to happen. I’m sure the Jackson family will be raking in the big bucks from this stage production.

The show, which currently has no title, is being written by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage company announced the news on Tuesday, but didn’t say which theatre the show will play in.

The musical will encompass many of Jackson’s greatest hits, including Thriller, Beat It and Smooth Criminal.

Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph the show, which is likely to contain some of the recognisable dances moves from Jackson’s music videos and tours.

Wheeldon won a Tony Award for best choreography in 2015 for his work on An American in Paris.

It is not known what role the Michael Jackson estate has in creating the show and whether the more controversial talking points from the star’s life, such as his 2005 trial and acquittal over claims of sexual abuse, will be featured in the dramatisation.

This won’t be the first time that Jackson’s music has been featured in a stage production – Thriller Live opened in London’s West End in January 2009. The music icon’s legacy will be brought to life on stage in 2020, and will be ““sympathetic” regarding the icons child molestation scandal.

“The show is being controlled by his estate and will only be positive to Michael. The creative team is debating if the show will include drug abuse and child molestation accusations at all—but if the show does, it will show Michael as on innocent victim,” a source confirmed.

“Lots of producers were interested in doing the real Michael Jackson musical but they couldn’t get the rights to any of his music unless his estate approved.”

I’m sure you all know that Jackson got caught in an explosive child molestation scandal during his Hollywood days. While he denied all claims, the negative backlash and vicious legal battles he endured caused him to become extremely paranoid and turn reclusive until his untimely 2009 death

“There was no way they would approve unless the script was sympathetic. Musicals are huge money makers and this show is all about maintaining Jackson’s legacy as well as making the family a fortune,” added the source.

“I try really, really hard. I try hardest to be the best mother,” Victoria said at the Forbes Women’s Summit, according to Hello magazine.

“I am trying to be the best wife and the best professional. When I get home I try to put the phone down and spend time with the children and spend time with David,” she added. “I have the support of an incredible husband. We really are equal with everything we do at home with the children. When I’m away he’s the one doing the school run and doing the cooking.”

Victoria and David will celebrate 19 years of marriage on July 4. They share kids Brooklyn 19, Romeo, 15, Cruz, 13, and Harper 6.

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Johnny Depp gives a very candid interview to attempt to set the record straight after being in the news for lawsuits, rumours about his spending, and more.

Speaking with Rolling Stone magazine, Johnny told the publication about the lows he felt after his divorce from Amber Heard, as well as the numerous lawsuits he was involved with.

“I was as low as I believe I could have gotten. The next step was, ‘You’re going to arrive somewhere with your eyes open and you’re going to leave there with your eyes closed.’ I couldn’t take the pain every day,” he said. He added that to cope with his feelings, he began writing a memoir on a typewriter.

Johnny said, “I poured myself a vodka in the morning and started writing until the tears filled my eyes and I couldn’t see the page anymore. I kept trying to figure out what I’d done to deserve this. I’d tried being kind to everyone, helping everyone, being truthful to everyone…The truth is most important to me. And all this still happened.”

Involving rumours about his money, he mentioned his son Jack, 16, “My son had to hear about how his old man lost all his money from kids at school, that’s not right,” Johnny said.

He also added about rumours about his excessive spending, “It’s insulting to say that I spent $30,000 (US) on wine…Because it was far more.”

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Justin Theroux is showing off his chiseled arms on the cover of Men’s Health’s new issue, on newsstands June 26.

Here’s what the 46-year-old actor had to share with the mag…

On his mom, who he calls his ‘hero’: “She’s a stud. She did a collection of eulogies under the idea that it’s a shame that such beautiful things are written when the person’s dead. It would be nice if that sort of kindness could be shown to people when they’re alive.”

On not having a bucket list: “In ideal circumstances, the bucket list just starts to happen if you’re leading your life well. I happened to be driving past a skydiving school once and decided to go skydiving. It wasn’t anything I had planned. I always wanted to ride a motorcycle across Europe. I’ve done that three times now. There’s nothing I’m dying to do. Nothing gnawing at me. There are things I know I will do. I just don’t know what they are yet.”

On how he chooses his tattoos: “I don’t put a lot of thought into mine. There are a lot of people designing their own tattoos who are frustrating a lot of tattoo artists. I’m real easy. I’ll go in like, ‘What should we do?’ ‘I dunno, what do you wanna do?’ So it’s kind of when the mood strikes.”

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Kate Hudson was not “dumped” while pregnant. She and Danny Fujikawa are still very much together. Their agents can debunk this probably wrong tabloid cover story.

Star magazine blares on its new cover, “Kate Hudson Pregnant & Dumped!” Inside the issue, a headline similarly asserts, “Kate Hudson Pregnant & Alone.” It’s specifically alleged in the article that Hudson has been “dumped by her rocker beau.”

Describing the expectant actress as “beyond heartbroken,” a so-called “baby blabber” is quoted as saying, “She thought Danny was The One, and now it looks like he’s bolting for the door.” Contending that the couple became engaged after Hudson found out she was pregnant, a supposed “source” claims to the magazine that they “butted heads from the start [and] couldn’t even agree on a wedding date, which was a bad sign.”

It’s asserted Fujikawa was “apparently shocked by how bossy his baby mama became” once he moved in with her, and that “things finally came to a head” while the pair was in New York earlier this month celebrating the musician’s birthday. “Kate was being a pill, and Danny couldn’t take it anymore and walked out,” alleges the outlet’s purported tipster. I say dump this in the fake new file!

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George and Amal Clooney have announced a donation of $100,000 (US) to the help the migrant children who have been torn away from their parents at the border between Mexico and the United States.

“At some point in the future our children [one-year-old twin Ella and Alexander will ask us: ‘Is it true, did our country really take babies from their parents and put them in detention centers?’ And when we answer yes, they’ll ask us what we did about it. What we said. Where we stood. We can’t change this administration’s policy but we can help defend the victims of it,” the couple told People magazine in a statement. “Today, the Clooney Foundation for Justice will donate $100,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.”

Maria Woltjen, the Young Center’s Executive Director, released a statement thanking the couple. “This Administration’s policy disregards international law and basic principles of human decency,” she said. “To treat children in such a cruel manner not only violates their legal rights but also their basic needs. We are doing everything we can to advocate on behalf of the thousands of children who are separated and alone, and we are grateful for the generous support of George and Amal Clooney and the Clooney Foundation for Justice — it could not be more vital at this time.”

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Cate Blanchard and Orlando Bloom served as the guests on The Late Late Show with James Corden alongside.

After host James asks Cate about working with Orlando in the past on The Lord of the Rings trilogy in New Zealand, they learn Orlando had a crush on Cate the first time they worked together.

“I can’t think — I had such a crush. I had the biggest crush on you,” Orlando, 41, admitted. “Well, it was your character!,” Cate, 49, insisted before Orlando said, “No, it was me!”

“I didn’t recognize you, because the first time I saw you, you had hair — like Fabio hair and blue eyes,” Cate recalled. “And then I just saw you — who is this really cute guy out of drama school — and I didn’t put two and two [together].”

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There’s one Judy Garland fan who’s defiantly not blasting “Get Happy.” OR “The Trolley Song.” This Judy Garland super fan — whose name hasn’t been released to a curious public– purchased the space next to Garland’s final resting place at the Ferncliff Mausoleum in New York, a spot that reportedly sold for around $15,500 (US).

“It’s funny because there’s a man who specifically flew in from California because he is a big fan of hers,” says a heartless and unfeeling cemetery manager.

“He purchased a plot near her so when he dies he could be next to Judy forever. I don’t know what he is going to do now.”

Maybe he’ll live forever now. Out of spite!

Since Garland’s fatal overdose in 1969, the remains of The Wizard of Oz star have been keeping a low profile, hiding out in crypt No. 31 in Unit 9.

Last year Judy’s remains were exhumed and flown to Los Angeles at the request of daughter Liza Minnelli. Judy was re-interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, where she’ll be rubbing elbows with other A-listers like Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, The Beatles’ George Harrison, and filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille to name a few.

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Janet Jackson is on the cover of Essence magazine’s July/August 2018 issue.

Here’s what the entertainer had to share with the mag…

On struggling with depression: “I struggled with depression. The struggle was intense. Low self-esteem might be rooted in childhood feelings of inferiority. It could relate to failing to meet impossibly high standards. And of course there are always the societal issues of racism and sexism. Put it all together and depression is a tenacious and scary condition. Thankfully, I found my way through it.”

On her one-year-old son Eissa: “The height of happiness is holding my baby son in my arms and hearing him coo, or when I look into his smiling eyes and watch him respond to my tenderness. When I kiss him. When I sing him softly to sleep. During those sacred times, happiness is everywhere.”

On #MeToo: “We are living at a time in history when women all over the world are refusing to be controlled, manipulated, exploited or abused. We have found our strength, and we will not relent.”

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From the nostalgia Hollywood file. When Rudolph Valentino died in 1926, several women committed suicide and a whole nation mourned. He was buried in a magnificent silver-bronze coffin, wearing a slave bracelet given to him by his last wife, actress Natacha Rambova. He was placed in a temporary vault that belonged to his friend, the woman who first discovered him, writer June Mathis. Unfortunately the grand plans for a huge marble monument were abandoned at the last minute, and to this day Rudolph rests in his borrowed wall crypt, no. 1205 in the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery. Ironically, when he was alive he stood many times in front of his own wall crypt to place flowers on the crypt of Miss Mathis’s mother Virginia, who lies just below Rudolph. June Mathis died just twelve months after Rudolph, and now lies in the wall crypt on his left.

In his will, Rudolph left his first wife one dollar, so that she could not contest the will.

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Last Sunday evening I was on Grant Walker’s Sunday night National Radio programme, if you would like to listen to the interview just click here.

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WIDE OPEN COUNTRY

The Variety Artists Club of NZ is a non profit organisation formed to promote goodwill within the New Zealand entertainment industry and foster a spirit of loyalty, friendship and cooperation between professional artists of all genres and its members. Each year the VAC presents a number of New Zealand entertainment awards including the prestigious Benny Award. I have been their Patron for many years, and believe me it is a great organizing.

WIDE OPEN COUNTRY is a fundraiser for our Gala Awards Night. Our salute to all that is Country Music – an eclectic mix of a musical style that is gaining traction around the world and here in NZ we have an abundance of talent!

This show features WIDE OPEN COUNTRY – AMERICANA/BLUEGRASS/COUNTRY ROCK & VINTAGE – Jamie McDell headlines a wonderful group of performers! Jamie’s recent release and 3rd album ‘Extraordinary Girl’ celebrates her musical roots with definite country vibes. The show also features Scottish born Sisters The Toner Sisters, The Trenwiths (Paul Trenwith of Hamilton County Bluegrass fame) & Sons and NZ’s hottest new Country Band, The Trail Benders! Please don’t miss this concert or you will be missing a real treat.

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 18th June 2018

I’m not one to gossip but……………………Judy Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli, does ‘not approve nor sanction’ the upcoming biopic about her mother.

Judy is an upcoming film detailing the life of the Classic Hollywood starlet. Academy Award-winning actor Renée Zellweger is playing Garland in 1968, a year before her untimely death. That is Renee portraying Judy in the picture, I think the likeness is amazing.

The first photo of Zellweger was released in March to much acclaim and surprise.

She doesn’t get the stamp of approval from Minnelli, however.

Radar Online reported in a now-deleted article that Minnelli and Zellweger were ‘bonding’ over the movie. Minnelli called it ‘100% fiction’ in a Facebook post.

‘I have never met nor spoken to Renee Zellweger…’ she wrote in the post.

‘I don’t know how these stories get started, but I do not approve nor sanction the upcoming film about Judy Garland in any way. Any reports to the contrary are 100% Fiction.’

Minnelli is the oldest of Garland’s three daughters. She was born to Garland and director Vincente Minnelli in 1946.

Gemma-Leah Devereux is playing a version of Minnelli in the film.

The film explores a version of Garland that is ‘exhausted; haunted by memories of a childhood lost to Hollywood and gripped by a desire to be back home with her kids’. In her final year, she also fell in love with Mickey Deans, her fifth and final husband, played by Finn Wittrock.

The movie is set for release later this year.

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The Upper East Side New York home of the late pop star Michael Jackson on East 74th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues, is now listed for just $35 million(US), after a few months on the market at $39 million(US).

The façade is even famous, appearing on Gossip Girl as Nate Archibald’s house.

Most recently, it was owned by billionaire and Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry who bought it in 2001 for $11 million(US). The 12,745-square-foot house has 7 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms on 6 floors, a garden-level terrace, a rooftop deck with it’s own kitchen (who wants to schlep food up and down?) and 10 wood burning fireplaces. (Somebody is going to be schlepping firewood though…)

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Barbra Streisand is making exciting new moves with Netflix!

The legendary 76-year-old screen and stage icon announced a new content deal during the 2018 Netflix FYSee closing night celebration.

During the event, which featured Barbra and Jamie Foxx in conversation in support of her concert tour Barbra: The Music… The Mem’ries… The Magic!, Barbra revealed that Netflix will soon be rolling out six classic specials: My Name Is Barbra (1965), Colour Me Barbra (1966), Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park (1968), Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments (1973), Barbra Streisand: The Concert (1994), and Barbra Streisand: Timeless (2001).

A new edition of A Star Is Born is coming as well, including never-before-seen footage of Barbra performing an instrumental version of “Evergreen” for the first time, and added footage to the medley finale.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones is ready to live her best life without worrying what other people think about her!

The 48-year-old Oscar-winning actress is done apologizing for having money, good looks, and movie star husband Michael Douglas.

“One thing I’m not is humble any more. I’m sick of being humble. I really am. ‘So sorry I’m rich, so sorry I’m married to a movie star, so sorry I’m not so bad looking,’” Catherine said in a new interview with The UK Daily Mirror “No sorry’s. Enough. All that is important to me now is my work.”

“That’s what I love and the rest of my life is a joy because I’ve got two beautiful kids and a healthy, happy husband. It’s all good, and I’m not going to be humble for that either,” she added.

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Trivia Nostalgia.

Hard to believe in this day and age, but in 1979 The Muppet Movie was cut by the New Zealand censor on the grounds of gratuitous violence. The scene, which gave them trouble, showed Fozzie Bear being menaced by a drunken sailor with a broken bottle.

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Barry Manilow has been hospitalized with a bronchial infection and has to delay kicking off his residency at the Westgate Las Vegas.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Manilow, 74, said on social media. “Our new show is ready, we’re all ready, and we were all looking forward to tonight.”

Manilow is expected to make a speedy recovery and be released in a few days.

“The entire Westgate family wishes Barry a speedy recovery and we know that he will dazzle audiences when his show resumes on June 21st,” said David Siegel, Westgate Resorts’ Founder & CEO.

Guests originally scheduled to attend this weekend’s performances will have the opportunity to get a full refund for the tickets. Additionally, once future dates are released, ticket exchanges will be offered.

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Congregants of First Congregational Church of Stamford in Stamford, Connecticut were shocked when something suddenly obstructed the view of their church last week. That something just happens to be a 26-foot tall statue of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.

The statue shows the starlet in her iconic pose from The Seven Year Itch, with her white dress billowing up around her hips.

It not only obstructs the view of the church, but gives congregants a nice view of Monroe’s backside.

Artist Seward Johnson constructed the Forever Marilyn piece. It’s part of an art series displaying Johnson’s work in public places.

The statue, as well as other life-size sculptures of people by Seward, will stay up through summer in the town.

Members of the church had different reactions to the statue.

One member, Pam Riley, said she finds the piece ‘disrespectful’.

‘Her skirt is up in the air and everyone’s under there looking up her skirt,’ she added.

Another member, however, has a more light-hearted approach. Jean Meyer commented: ‘You’re going to have different opinions on it, but you have to have a sense of humour.’

The church’s senior minister, the Rev. Todd Yonkman, understands the statue is a piece of art.

‘It makes me uncomfortable,’ he said ‘The question for each one of us is, What will you do with your discomfort? I am choosing grace.

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These shows coming our way should not be missed!

Fresh from their sold out world tour including Australia, France, London and Holland (to name a few) The Bootleg Beach Boys will embark on a New Zealand wide tour this July and August.

A fully costumed show that takes you right from the very beginning of The Beach Boys and through their career will feature classic hits and cult favourites from California’s most famous band.

From surf themed anthems such as Surfin’ Safari & Surfer Girl to muscle car memorable’s like Shut Down & Fun Fun Fun, the band have gathered a truly impressive repertoire of West Coast, harmony-laden songs, that evoke the spirit and essence of the pursuit of the 1960s American dream.

The band tackle such classics as In My Room, God Only Knows, Good Vibrations and Help Me Rhonda in their hit heavy set, but also pay homage to the genius of Brian Wilson in the form of selections from the seminal Pet Sounds, and cult favourites from the legendary Smile album.

This blend of five vocals and infectious sun-soaked gems makes for a memorable night to celebrate some of the finest music committed to tape over four decades.

Direct from Las Vegas, and incredible sold out concerts around the world, Oh What A Night! announces it’s returning to New Zealand to celebrate the music of Frankie Valli &amp; The Four Seasons. Oh What A Night! promises two hours of superb entertainment … Jersey style!

Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off Your, My Eyes Adored You, Working My Way Back to You, Let’s Hang On and Who Loves You as well as Frankie Valli’s biggest solo hit from the blockbuster movie Grease. The show features a talented group of performers who look, act and sound just as amazing as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons did so many years ago.

Oh What A Night! is an exciting musical revue written by Motown producer and creative consultant George Solomon, directed by award-winning producer-director Michael Chapman with choreography by Paul Holmquist.

Between the score of recognisable tunes, Oh What A Night! delivers informative and often hilarious banter between our stellar, high-spirited cast. The result is an exhilarating show that is as fresh and relevant today as it is nostalgic for the purists.

The audience gets to know and love the four dynamic talents and cheer their boundless energy, great choreography, humour and, of course, the instantly recognisable timeless classic hits. Experience two hours of superb entertainment from these Vegas stars.

THE OLIVIER NOMINATED AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

STUMBLES INTO NEW ZEALAND FROM
LONDON’S WEST END FOR LIMITED F/RUN

Following hot on the wobbly heels of the box office hit The Play That Goes Wrong, comes another triumphant disaster from London’s West End. If all goes to pan/plan, Peter Pan Goes Wrong should be stumbling around New Zealand from 31 October to 2 December 2018. Nominated for an Olivier Award in 2016 for Best New Comedy, Peter Pan Goes Wrong sees Mischief Theatre bring their trademark comic mayhem to the J.M. Barrie classic, Peter Pan.

In Peter Pan Goes Wrong, the much-loved members of The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society once again battle against technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes on their way to Neverland with hilarious and disastrous results.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong is co-written by Mischief Theatre company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, creators of the Olivier Award-winning comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, which played to packed theatres in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland in 2017. Both ‘Goes Wrong’ productions are renowned for their highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned farce and Buster Keaton-inspired slapstick delivered with split-second timing.

“We’ve been looking for Neverland, and someone said it was over this way, but I think maybe they got confused – Neverland, New Zealand – anyway we’ll go on a little ‘tricky tour’ or whatever you call it while we’re here and then maybe head back to London,” said Henry Lewis.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong will play at The Civic in Auckland from 31 October to 18 November, at the Opera House in Wellington from 21 -25 November, and then at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch from 28 November to 2 December.

James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and presenter of Peter Pan Goes Wrong in New Zealand, said “Audiences in New Zealand gave a rapturous welcome to The Play That Goes Wrong when it toured last year, demonstrating their fantastic sense of humour and love of a good time. Peter Pan offers another marvellous opportunity for things to go drastically wrong for the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, and for New Zealand audiences to once again ache from laughter.”

Peter Pan Goes Wrong premiered at the Pleasance Theatre in London in December 2013 before going on to tour the UK during 2014. The production made its West End debut in 2015 for a Christmas season, returning the following year from October for another Christmas season, making it the third show running in the West End from the Mischief Theatre Company after The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery.

A nightclub singer, a double-murderess, a smooth-talking lawyer and a cell block of sin….. so the story unfolds in the award-winning Broadway and West End musical CHICAGO, which comes to New Zealand in August 2018 and opens at The Civic in Auckland before moving to the Opera House in Wellington in September .

Winner of six Tonys, two Oliviers, one Grammy, two Baftas and six Academy Awards, CHICAGO is the longest-running musical revival in Broadway history and truly is “The sharpest, slickest show on the block” (The Times, UK).

CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway and the West End great – a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another, including Razzle Dazzle, Cell Block Tangoand All That Jazz; the sexiest, most sensational dancing; and a sharply sophisticated set which incorporates the 11-piece orchestra.

It’s no surprise that this devilishly delicious musical has brought cheering audiences to their feet all around the world, from Australia to Argentina, from Spain to South Africa. An estimated 31 million people have seen CHICAGO, which has played over 30,000 performances worldwide.

“Sexy, pin-sharp, and near flawless.”

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, AUSTRALIA

Set in the Prohibition-era 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer with ambitions of Vaudeville stardom, who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

CHICAGO is a stunning spectacle full of social satire, intrigue, love, betrayal, rivalry and friendship, a pageant of music and dance that adroitly shifts between reality and fantasy, as Roxie Hart’s world moves from prison to the courtroom to the stage.

James Cundall, Chief Executive of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions says “CHICAGO is one of the world’s most popular musicals. Unbelievably sexy, sassy and sensational, this musical thrills and chills, which is why it continues to tour the world after so many years and has been applauded by millions of people. So whether you’ve seen the Academy Award-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage, or whether you have seen it before and want to recapture the magic, here’s your chance. It would be a crime to miss it.”

“Still the hottest show in town”

THE INDEPENDENT, UK

CHICAGO was first created by the legendary Broadway trio of John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (book/lyrics) and Bob Fosse (co-author, original director and choreographer) in 1975, and was based on a 1926 Broadway play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a journalist from the Chicago Tribune who had covered the sensational trials of two women, both of whom were accused of killing their lovers whilst under the influence of drink and jazz.

Kander and Ebb enjoyed a collaboration that spanned four decades, defined musical theatre on Broadway and earned them numerous awards. Bob Fosse was one of Broadway’s biggest and brightest creative stars, renowned for his innovative and spectacular staging, with the emphasis on exhilarating dance sequences. He turned out one hit after another from the 1950s to the late 70s and is the only director so far to have won an Oscar, two Tony Awards and an Emmy Award in the same year, 1973.

The most exciting musical of its generation”

THE TIMES, UK

In November 1996 a revival of CHICAGO opened on Broadway produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, and a year later opened in London’s West End. The rest, as they say, is history, as CHICAGO is currently playing its 21st year in New York where it holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the second longest-running musical in Broadway history. In the West End CHICAGO ran for 15 years where it also became the longest-running musical revival as well as the longest-running Broadway musical to play in the West End. The show’s global success has reached over 35 countries and been translated into 13 languages.

Lunchbox Theatrical Productions presents CHICAGO produced by Barry and Fran Weissler and David Ian in association with Showtime Management.

Tiffany Haddish talks about hitting on Leonardo DiCaprio at a recent party, in her interview

“Yeah, I met him at a party two, three months ago, and I asked him if he’d let me hit that. He’s like, ‘Tiffany, you’re so funny.’ I’m like, ‘I’m serious.’ And then he goes, ‘I mean, I’d do it, but …’ I was like, ‘Come on, wasn’t you in a squad? The coochie squad or something?’” Tiffany recalled.

“I told him, ‘My only stipulation: I wanna do it with you as your character in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.’ He starts bustin’ up laughin,” she continued.

“‘Why?’ he asks, and I say, ‘Cause I feel like that performance deserves a real reward and that reward is this (gestures at her own body),” Tiffany added.

She continued, “He starts goin’ into how he got into the role, how he worked with these kids and all this stuff, and I’m just listenin’ and listenin’, like, ‘Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm.’ I finally go, ‘All that’s good, I just need to know, When’s this gonna happen?’”

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Tom Hanks is currently starring in the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles’ production of the play Henry IV! The 24-performance run is set to end on July 1.

Just like Shakespeare in the Park, which is performed in an outdoor theater in New York City each summer, this production is held outdoors at the West Los Angeles VA Campus.

The Shakespeare Center is providing thousands of complimentary tickets for veterans and active members of the American military.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not sign a “$500 million prenup” on the day of the royal wedding, despite a new tabloid cover story. Like royal couples before them, the bride and groom did not sign a prenuptial agreement at any point, nor did Queen Elizabeth demand one, as falsely alleged.

But a headline in the latest issue of Star declares, “Prince Harry’s Wedding Secret Exposed: The $500 Million Fight!” The magazine contends that “behind closed doors” at the nuptials last month, there was “plenty of royal intrigue and secret schemes taking place.” It’s specifically alleged that before the ceremony, a “calculating Queen Elizabeth forced Harry and Meghan to sign an ironclad prenup to protect the royal family’s $500 million fortune.”

“The word is that when Harry and Meghan slipped into the antechamber before the ceremony… to sign the marriage registry, they also signed the prenup,” a so-called “palace insider” is quoted as saying. It should be noted that the phrase “the word is” is one of the telltale signs that an outlet does not have any independent confirmation or direct knowledge of what’s being claimed, nor does the “insider.”

So this one can be files under FAKE NEWS!

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Here is he trailer for Kevin Spacey’s first film since he was accused last year of historic sexual assault by multiple men. The actor, who has won two Oscars, will play a gay man in the upcoming drama Billionaire Boys Club.

Kevin lost his job on the Netflix original series House of Cards last October after the row. It started after actor Anthony Rapp alleged Kevin made a sexual advance towards him when he was 14 in 1986.

In a much-criticized response and apology, Spacey came out as a gay man.

Rapp’s allegations led to several other men coming forward with similar claims about Kevin.

The plot of Billionaire Boys Club revolves around a group of wealthy young men in 80s LA who explore group con artistry. It is based on a true story.

The movie will costar Ansel Elgort. The 240year-old rising star is of course famed for his role in romantic teen drama The Fault In Our Stars.

American Horror Story’s Emma Roberts also appears, as does War Horse’s Jeremy Irvine.

Furthermore, English actor Cary Elwes will make an appearance playing openly gay pop artist Andy Warhol.

In the trailer, Kevin’s character Ron Levin can be seen imparting get-rich-quick advice to the group, known as the BBC, saying: ‘I’m from Wall Street. Do you really think people get rich playing by the rules?’

Billionaire Boys Club will be released in the US on 17 August. It will be directed by John Cox.

Filming began in December 2015, before the allegations against Kevin were made. Filming wrapped in January 2016, with reshoots occurring the same year.

The producers’ decision not to axe Kevin follow his being dropped from last year’s All The Money In The World. Spacey is not believed to have any further upcoming films projects.

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… A couple of weeks ago I finished reading PRINCESS LEIA AND UNSINKABLE TAMMY IN HELL, the media-savvy mother Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher team that rocked Hollywood, I enjoyed every page turn. The book is not in New Zealand books stores – mores the pity – so if you want a copy you will have to get it on line. I have mentioned this book before, but it is well worth a second mention. I throughly recommend this book, but it’s not for the faint hearted

This hot, two-in-one biography examines the complicated co-dependencies of the greatest but most dysfunctional mother-daughter act in showbiz, Debbie Reynolds and her talented, often traumatized daughter, Carrie Fisher. After years of feuds and separations, they reunited at the end of their lives. Today, their legions of fans like to think they’re each doing fine, together in some galaxy far, far away.

Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher were the greatest mother-daughter act in show business. Frank Sinatra stole her virginity, but she married pop singer Eddie Fisher for the “official deflowering” (her words). Through storm and rain, Debbie battled on, hitting a high point when she starred as Tammy in 1957 and her most memorable role was in 1964, when she was cast in the rags-to riches saga of The Unsinkable Molly Brown. Each of her three marriages was a disaster, the second one to a millionaire shoe manufacturing mogul who bankrupted both of them. Impoverished after the divorce, she ended up sleeping in her car. Debbie mingled with the elite of Hollywood in the dying days of its Golden Age. Luminaries included Clark Gable (“if I were only twenty years younger….); Judy Garland (who propositioned her); Lana Turner; Bette Davis (“she was my daughter”) and Glenn Ford, who fell in love with her.
A rebellious daughter, Carrie grew up to endure a life of living hell-pill popping, drug abuse, chronic anxiety, failed love affairs, bipolar disorder, and electroshock therapy. Carrie sometimes protested: “I don’t want to be the daughter of Debbie Reynolds. I battled demons that set my brain on fire.” International celebrity came in 1977, when she played Princess Leia in Star Wars as an elaborately coiffed intergalactic princess, spearheading “The Force,” and strong enough to oppose the villainy of Darth Vader.

Listen to Danforth Prince, co-author of their new biography, discusses their INTER-GALACTIC LEGACIES with book reviewer JIM JUNOT.

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“Nunsense – The Mega Musical”4-18th August 2018

When the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook (Sister Julia, Child of God) has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, they are in dire need of funds for the burials. They decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show. So they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth-grade production, and mayhem ensues!

All the fun of the original Nunsense, Harlequin Musical Theatre is excited to present this super-sized version! Starring the original five nuns and featuring new characters, songs and dance numbers, Nunsense The Mega Musical has been called “A hail of fun and frolic” by The New York Times.

Directed by John Fausett the musical comedy shares an entertaining story that will amuse audiences of all ages and faiths. I have seen this musical a couple of times overseas, and the show is a hoot this is a great night out at the theatre………don’t miss it, please!

Meghan Markle is “98 pounds and pregnant,” according to the Globe gossip magazine’s cover story. This report was designed to make readers think both the Duchess of Sussex and her alleged baby are “in danger,” but none of it is true just more false news. The mag is saying that she is pregnant taking a punt just in case she is. Then if it is announced while their magazine is out, they can follow through in their next issue by saying, “We told you so last week.”

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Downton Abbey is becoming a movie!

Focus Features announced the exciting news that the company has set production with Carnival Films on a film from the hit television series – and the principal cast is all set to return.

The show’s screenplay writer Julian Fellowes is also returning as a co-producer. Brian Percival, who directed the pilot, will direct the film.

The original television series, which ran for six seasons, followed the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who worked for them at the turn of the 20th century in an Edwardian English country home.

“When the television series drew to a close it was our dream to bring the millions of global fans a movie and now, after getting many stars aligned, we are shortly to go into production. Julian’s script charms, thrills and entertains and in Brian Percival’s hands we aim to deliver everything that one would hope for as Downton comes to the big screen,” said Carnival exec Gareth Neame.

“Since the series ended, fans of Downton have long been waiting for the Crawley family’s next chapter. We’re thrilled to join this incredible group of filmmakers, actors and craftspeople, led by Julian Fellowes and Gareth Neame, in bringing back the world of Downton to the big screen,” added Focus exec Peter Kujawski.

Production will begin later this summer.

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Al Roker sat down with Rita Moreno on the US TV show The Today Show this week (see link below ) to talk about her iconic roles, including her breakout in “West Side Story.” Moreno opened up about the good times she’s had in Hollywood over the years as well as the rough times she’s faced, including harassment because of her ethnicity and some difficult personal relationships.

Moreno came to the US from Puerto Rico at the age of five in the 1930s and immediately found out, first-hand, what racism is: “Certain people didn’t like me, on sight.”

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Robin Wright was reportedly the driving force behind bringing House of Cards back for a sixth season following Kevin Spacey’s sexual misconduct scandal.

According to her co-star Patricia Clarkson,Robin worked alongside the HOC showrunners to ensure the show wasn’t cancelled and those working on the series kept their jobs.

“It was truly the great Robin Wright rallying. We have beautiful showrunners, Frank [Pugliese] and Melissa [James Gibson], and they killed themselves to rethink the whole show. It’s only eight episodes,” Patricia explained.

She added, “Robin led all of this charge so that people would save their livelihoods because when the show goes away some people don’t get paid. I think it’s gonna be a stunning, stunning new season.”

Production on House of Cards season six began earlier this year but does not yet have a premiere date.

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Damn Yankees! actor and 1950s Hollywood heartthrob Tab Hunter has sadly passed away at the age of 86, just a few days shy of his 87th birthday.

Tab’s partner of over three decades, Allan Glaser, confirmed that he passed away due to a blood clot that caused a heart attack.

Tab Hunter was born Arthur Gelien in New York in 1931. He relocated to California with his mother after his parents split up when he was still a child.

He shot to fame in Hollywood in the 1950s. The first role that really began to get him noticed was as Robert Mitchum’s younger brother in Track of the Cat (1955).

He then starred in Battlecry (1955), Warner Bros’ biggest hit of the year. Hollywood stardom ensued, and he was Warner’s most popular male star between 1955-59.

He also had a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with Young Love, enjoyed a short-lived sitcom on US TV in the early 1960s, and played numerous theatrical roles.

Hiding his sexuality and coming out.

At a time when homosexuality was strictly taboo, Hunter kept his sexuality secret, although he had relationships with fellow actor Anthony Perkins (of Psycho fame), and figure skater Robbie Robertson. Up until his death, he had been with partner, producer Allan Glaser for 35 years.

Although his fame waned in the late 60s and 1970s, his was rediscovered by younger generations by appearing in John Waters’ cult classic, Polyester, opposite Divine, in 1981.

After decades of rumours, Hunter publicly acknowledged his sexuality in his best-selling, 2005 memoir, Tab Hunter Confidential. The book was later turned into a documentary that played at LGBTI film festivals around the world. Hunter personally appeared at some screenings to take part in Q&A sessions.

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Celebrate the beauty and style of one of Hollywood’s most promising actresses and glamorous 1960s fashion icons with PROPERTY FROM THE ESTATE OF SHARON TATE on November 16 and 17 live in Los Angeles and online auction at JuliensLive.com.

Known as one of Hollywood’s most magnetic stars of the era, actress and model Sharon Tate’s life and style embodied the very essence of the decade now known as the swinging 60’s. Tate was amongst the celebrities that influenced the sights and sounds of that era’s culture, joining the likes of Jean Shrimpton and Twiggy. All prices are in USA dollars.

Highlights include a custom made chocolate slubbed silk dress attributed as being made by William Travilla and worn by Sharon Tate while being interviewed on the 1968 documentary The New Cinema (estimate: $5000-$7000); a black floral lace Christian Dior mini dress worn by Tate to the London premiere of Roman Polanski’s 1966 film Cul-de-Sac (estimate: $15,000-$30,000); Tate’s chocolate sheer silk Alba gown worn at the 1968 Golden Globe Awards with Polanski (estimate: $4,000-$6,000); the ivory silk moiré mini wedding dress worn at her London Chelsea Registry wedding to Roman Polanski in 1968 (estimate: $25,000-$50,000); Tate’s green knit mini dress designed by Betsey Johnson for Paraphernalia worn at the Paris 1967 premiere of The Fearless Vampire Killer (estimate: $1,000-$2,000); Tate’s chocolate mink swing coat designed by “Fuhrman’s Beverly Hills” with asymmetrical collar and fur puffs for buttons (estimate: $20,000-$40,000); Tate’s makeup including Revlon black eyeliner in black and in white and a Maybelline eyebrow pencil (estimate: $300-$500); her 1957 copy of “The Paradox of Acting” by Dennis Diderot with “Masks or Faces” by William Archer inscribed “Sharon Tate” in Tate’s hand (estimate: $800-$1,200); a set of blue floral canvas and leather carry-on luggage monogrammed “ST” in which Tate and Roman Polanski were shown photographed with while returning from their honeymoon in 1968 (estimate: $1,000-$2,000); a two toned jersey mini dress worn by Tate while attending the Cannes Film Festival with Roman Polanski in 1968 (estimate: $5,000-$7,000) and more.

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The 2018 Emmy Awards nominations have finally been revealed!

There are lots of familiar faces on this list, as well as a handful of first-time nominees!

2018 Primetime Emmy Awards, which are set to air, live coast-to-coast on NBC on Monday (September 17) in the USA.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA
The Americans
The Crown
Game of Thrones
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Ed Harris, Westworld
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Jeffrey Wright, Westworld

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Jeff Daniels, Godless
Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
Ricky Martin, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Finn Wittorck, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Michael Stuhlbag, The Looming Tower
John Leguizamo, Waco

VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
At Home With Amy Sedaris
Drunk History
I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live
Tracey Ullman’s Show

VARIETY TALK SERIES
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

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Revolutionary leader Nelson Mandela – known by his tribe as Madiba – would have been 100 this month. In celebration of his birthday and his legacy, a compelling new stage show Madiba the Musical – a Celebration of Nelson Mandela is today announced for New Zealand.

Beginning its world tour in France and soon to arrive in Australia, this international production is interwoven with stories of the fight against apartheid and forbidden love in a troubled land. The musical pays tribute to New Zealand and the dramatic part it played in bringing an end to apartheid.

Also timed to mark 25 years since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, Madiba the Musical features African dance and vocal traditions set alongside eternal love songs and stirring anthems in a show that tells of Mandela’s lifework as a lawyer and activist for peace through the story of young artist Will, who is the victim of apartheid in South Africa.

French writers Alicia Sebrien and Jean-Pierre Hadida said in creating Madiba The Musical, they wanted to tell the story of Mandela’s pursuit of peace and reconciliation in his homeland.

“There are no languages that are more universal than music and dancing to reconcile nations, cultures, religions and generations,” the show’s creators said.

“We want to remember Madiba; Nelson Mandela is certainly the last providential figure of the 20th century.”

Shortly after Mandela’s death in 2013, his Xhosa clan name Madiba emerged worldwide in condolences. The clan or family name represents a person’s ancestry and is used as a sign of respect and affection.

Mandela, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, spent 27 years in prison for fighting racist white rule and became South Africa’s first black president in 1994, serving one five-year term.

Director of the current French production Pierre-Yves Duchesne says he has incorporated modern stage technology in Madiba The Musical, with the animated sketchbook images of the young artist character to be projected on to the stage screen backdrop.

“Nelson Mandela’s vision of the world was truly turned towards the future, and that is why the stage direction must look towards modernity,” Duchesne said.

French reviews have praised the production’s staging and describe Madiba The Musical as “a powerful and generous work”, “the essence of a fight for humanity” and “a show that touches our hearts”.

Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 9th July 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… A new tabloid report claiming Angelina Jolie collapsed amid her custody battle with Brad Pitt is completely untrue. This story can debunk the story. It’s both deceptive and inaccurate.

The cover of this week’s National Enquirer reads, “Brad Wins Custody As 79-LB Angie Collapses!” Only, Pitt hasn’t won custody of their children, Jolie’s weight hasn’t dropped that low and she didn’t pass out. Instead, the unreliable magazine is using the latest development in the exes’ custody negotiations to attack Jolie’s well-being.

Last month, a judge presiding over Pitt and Jolie’s case ruled that the actress must allow her estranged husband to have more visitations with their six kids. The court even stated that the actress could risk losing primary custody of the children if she didn’t follow the order. Despite Pitt getting to spend more time with them, the kids are still living with Jolie in London as she films Maleficent 2. He hasn’t “won custody” as the tabloid claims.

Still, according to the Enquirer, the stress of the situation resulted in the actress fainting during her visit to a refugee camp in Iraq last month. “Angelina was walking went white as a ghost and became dizzy,” an alleged insider tells the magazine. “She was clearly in a pretty bad way. She was so gaunt it seemed the life had totally drained out of her.”

To illustrate its phony story, the publication uses a photo of what appears to be Jolie losing her balance and falling backwards. Only, this incident didn’t occur in Iraq last month. In fact, it didn’t occur in reality. The image was taken back in 2007 while Jodie was filming a scene in Chicago for the action movie Wanted. The tabloid is using a decade-old photo from the set of a movie to try and dupe readers into believing the actress’s custody battle caused her to collapse.

As for the claim that the actress only weighs 78 pounds, the magazine has been alleging for years that Jolie’s health is in danger due to her weight. The outlet even has a habit of choosing an arbitrary number and assigning it to her. According to the tabloid’s calculations, the past few years have seen the actress go from 90 pounds to 76 pounds, and now back up to 78. It’s a baseless tactic the magazine keeps recycling.

People, a much more reliable celebrity news publication, reported last month that Jolie is “doing great” amid the custody battle with Pitt. And earlier this week, the magazine noted that Jolie looked “happy and relaxed” while taking her kids to see the musical Wicked in London. On the other hand, the Enquirer’s latest article is collapsing under the weight of its lies.

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Jodie Foster is on the cover of the latest issue of PorterEdit magazine.

Here’s what the 55-year-old Contact actress had to say…

On how women are questioning past behaviours in the wake of #MeToo: “I don’t think there is a woman I know, who doesn’t look back on when they were 15, 16, 17 or 18, who doesn’t put their hand on their head and say: ‘Why did I do that? Why was I like that? Why wasn’t I confident? Why didn’t I say no?’”

On how having an industry-savvy mother may have protected her from Hollywood’s abusers: “The weird cauldron that made me ­– working from the time I was three years old, supporting my family by the time that I was seven, super-strong mom, over-confident personality, celebrity young enough that I learned to be stand-offish… I think there’s a whole bunch of reasons why I didn’t have the same path as someone who came to Hollywood at 22 with two cents in her pocket and just wanted more than anything else to be an actor; it’s just a different life.”

On celebrating Pride Month: “Every day is gay-pride day for me.”

On how she didn’t want her children to know she was famous: “I didn’t want them to know about my celebrity at all. I remember when my son was about four; he thought I was a construction worker.”

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Russell Crowe spent the day at Universal Studios in Hollywood on Thursday, but it’s likely that he was not recognized by that many fans!

The 54-year-old Oscar-winning actor barely looked like the guy you’re used to seeing on the big screen. He sported a big bushy beard while enjoying the park.

Russell was spotted while finishing up a ride on the Transformers ride.

You can see Russell next in the upcoming movie Boy Erased, which was just pushed back to a release date of November 2.

He wore a blue t-shirt with dark pants, beige shoes, a black baseball cap, and a pair of brown sunglasses.

That same day, it was announced that he and his wife Livia Giuggioli had settled out of court with her ex-lover Marco Brancaccis in their stalking scandal case.

If you missed it, it was revealed that Livia had an affair with Marco while briefly separated from Colin between 2015 and 2016, leading the couple to accuse him of stalking her when the affair ended.

“In the best interests of their families, the parties have agreed a private settlement,” lawyers for both parties told People magazine. “Therefore the parties have asked the court for a postponement of the preliminary hearing in order to formalize the agreement. From this point on, this agreement precludes any further public statement by any of the parties about this matter.”

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David Cassidy’s ashes will be spread abound at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York, it was revealed amid a family fracas with the musician’s ex-girlfriend Maura Rossi,TMZ reported.

The Partridge Family star was cremated following his death at 67 on November 21, 2017 as result of liver failure.

His remains have been kept in a cremation unit since then, which has upset Rossi to the point she claims she’s unable to sleep or eat, according to the outlet.

Rossi feels she’s been shunned by David’s surviving relatives since his death late last year, and believes it to be disrespectful that his ashes are in storage, according to the outlet.

The outlet reported that the idea was always to have his ashes distributred at the racetrack, a favorite haven on his over the past 30 years, as he was an ardent fan of horse racing, and bred and owned a number of racehorses throughout his life.

In the wake of his passing, horse trainer Arthur Silvera recalled how Cassidy ‘was somewhat of a fixture’ at the Saratoga track, ‘and the topic of conversation was 99 percent horses and horse racing.

‘He had so much passion for horses and horse racing,’ the horse trainer told Thoroughbred Daily News last November of Cassidy.

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Will Smith recently took a break from filming his new movie Gemini Man to sit down for an interview with Tidal’s Rap Radar podcast.

During the interview, the 49-year-old actor was asked about his 20th wedding anniversary to Jada Pinkett Smith.

“We don’t even say we’re married anymore,” Will said. “We refer to ourselves as life partners, where you get into that space where you realize you are literally with somebody for the rest of your life. There’s no deal breakers. There’s nothing she could do—ever. Nothing that would break our relationship. She has my support till death and it feels so good to get to that space.”

The couple married back on December 31, 1997.

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Vanessa Kirby is gorgeous in green on the cover of Marie Claire UK‘s August 2018 issue.

Here is what the 30-year-old The Crown and Mission: Impossible – Fallout actress had to share with the mag:

On meeting co-star Tom Cruise for the first time: “I tried to just meet the man really, and the man is so different to any stuff you’d read, because it always is. It helped me to see that all the stuff that gets written is just such a load of bullshit about everyone.”

On dating rumours that surfaced after an on-set kiss with Tom: “Even though the [film] crew were there, it was all [in the tabloids] like, ‘The next wife falls at his feet.’ The most disconcerting thing was the people I didn’t think would believe it, did, and they were texting my boyfriend, asking, ‘Are you OK?’ I don’t think they believe anything they read now because you just can’t. None of it is real. To be getting married to him? Not even a snog, it was marriage.”

On how fame has impacted her life: “It is a weird feeling. I definitely don’t feel it yet. I’ve been lucky because I barely get recognized, and I keep my relationship super private. [My boyfriend Callum Turner’s) just completely wonderful and he’s my best friend, so that’s… I guess you can either choose to talk about it or not. If you talk about it, it becomes interesting to people, but if you don’t, then it’s not.”

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Scarlett Johansson’s new movie role is based a real-life cross-dressing lesbian from the 1970s.

The project, Rub & Tug, reunites her with Ghost in the Shell director Rupert Sanders. New Regency won the rights to the movie in a high-bidding auction.

Rub & Tug tells the story of Jean Marie Gill, a lesbian in 1970s Pittsburgh who was able to thrive in a male-dominated society by assuming the identity of a man.

She clashed with the mob and became a crime kingpin in her own right through illicit massage parlors, prostitution, and steroids for Pittsburgh’s NFL team the Steelers.

When assuming the identity of Dante ‘Tex’ Gill, Jean Marie was able to start an empire.

The movie will also explore her relationship with her girlfriend Cynthia, which Deadline describes as a ‘fiery romance’.

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Katie Holmes is giving her daughter Suri a taste of culture in Paris – they spent the afternoon at the Louvre looking at art. Later Katie and Suri went to the Fendi couture show. We can’t help but mention that Tom Cruise is not that far away in London. Will there be a secret meeting with Suri? It HAS to be a secret because Tom lives at Scientology headquarters in London like the one John Travolta lives at in Florida. Six years ago Tom sued In Touch magazine for reporting that he had abandoned his daughter, but in his deposition he admitted he hadn’t seen her in 110 days and ended up dropping the suit.

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Roseanne Barr might not be done with television, after all.

The Roseanne actress and comedian, who had her sitcom cancelled following racist remarks on Twitter, opened up in an interview about her possible return.

“I’ve already been offered so many things and I almost already accepted one really good offer to go back on TV and I might do it. But we’ll see,” she said during Rabbi Shmuley Boteach‘s podcast. “I thought signing off of my own life’s work and asking for nothing in return, I thought that was a penance,” she added.

New Zealand’s brightest opera stars will celebrate their swansong performance on home soil in a fiery yet intimate production of one of the world’s best-known stories of thwarted love, Romeo and Juliet at the Mercury Theatre next month.

Award-winning singers Madison Nonoa and Filipe Manu will play the leads in Auckland Opera Studio’s two 90-minute, two-act production of the great and angry Vincenzo Bellini opera I Capuleti e i Montecchi.

Written in 1829 it is the story of Romeo & Juliet and the Libretto is from the from the Italian Giulietta Romeo written two years before. It has remained a staple on the opera stages of the world since its first performance on the 11 March, 1830.

This opera, is full of drama, anger, courage, love and desperation as the two opposing Mafia families fight it out over the consequences of the proposed union (desired by Romeo and Juliet) of these historically opposed families.

Following their performances in Romeo & Juliet, the pair will head back to London to complete their final year at the most prestigious opera training programme at the Guildhall of Music in London which they have were accepted into, without audition.

Tickets to this spectacular production on 24 & 26 August are on sale now via iTicket.

Madison and Filipe have either won or placed in the top two or three of nearly every opera singing competition in New Zealand and Australia.

Patron and studio director Frances Wilson-Fitzgerald says it’s a rare opportunity for audiences to see two of New Zealand’s best emerging talents in one of the great operas.

Ironically, the singers have often competed against each other, with Filipe awarded the Dame Malvina Emerging Artists Internship by New Zealand Opera in 2015, and Madison in 2016. Filipe and Madison competed against each other in the Lexus Song Quest 2016, placing second and third respectively.

Frances says, “We chose to stage I Capuleti e i Montecchi because not only is it a great, great opera that is rarely performed these days, but as the Italian interpretation of Romeo and Juliet, it was an ideal match for Madison and Filipe who are both physically gorgeous, gifted singers with majestic voices – I Capuleti e i Montecchi is a lyrical bel canto opera, which means ‘beautiful singing’, after all.

“Not that it’s a soppy love story. I Capuleti e i Montecchi is a great feast of an opera. It’s full of everything; it’s quite angry really, because it tells the story of two mafia families at the time and how enraged they were by this relationship.”

The opera takes place over two acts and was composed by Vincenzo Bellini in 1830. Although the story of Romeo and Juliet was made famous by William Shakespeare, it has been a common story theme in Italian literature for centuries.

Frances says, “Bellini’s opera is not performed all that often these days because it is very long at more than three hours. But we have cut it to an hour-and-a-half. In the full length version, some songs can be repeated five or six times, but we’ve limited the repetition.

“Our total cast numbers just five, with a chorus to represent the armies offstage. The supporting actors are Damian Arnold, Wade Kernot and Joel Amosa, all of whom are raising young stars. This production will stretch the performers and take them to a new level of sophistication of technique.”

The chair of the Auckland Opera Studio charitable trust, Gillian Peebles, says that instead of a full orchestra, the studio will present a staged production of the famous opera, which will be accompanied by piano, flute, clarinet and a French Horn.

Gillian says, “The audience can expect to experience the full, exquisite beauty of this period as well as great drama that has everything; anger, bravery, love and desperation as two opposing mafia families fight it out over the consequences of what they deem an undesirable, proposed union.

“The great thing about opera is that it has everything, music, singing, acting, costumes and props and drama. Plenty of drama. We would encourage anybody who has never experienced opera to come along to this production, it’s the perfect introduction.”

New Zealand’s most celebrated playwright Roger Hall pits a group of female teachers together with a school counsellor and a reluctant daughter for a weekend of bushwalking, sparkling wine and sparkling comedy.

The perfect pre-Christmas party for your friends, social club
and work colleagues.

What do you call six women stranded on a mountain in the rain: ridiculous! Or you could call them social climbers … just not to their faces!

Once at the hut, not only do they unload their packs full of food, wine, and a souvenir rock; their hang-ups get unloaded as well.

Torrential rain and a flooded bridge keep them stranded for three days. What they get up to, to help pass the time, raises a few eyebrows and will have you laughing, tearing up and applauding enthusiastically as they bare all.

Of course, it’s not just souls that are exposed, there’s a little nudity, a cracking thunderstorm, explosions, screaming bloody murder, ghostly stories, a birthday celebration, a séance, a drunken party, confessions, melt downs and revelations that will keep you and your friends entertained throughout.

Perfectly timed for your own social group’s ascent into summer, don’t miss this hilarious play when it comes to a town near you in November.

SOCIAL CLIMBERS, written by Roger Hall, the first playwright to win a Prime Minister’s Literary award.

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 2nd July 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… It was a painful loss for movie fans when actress and screenwriter Carrie Fisher and her mother, Oscar-nominated actress Debbie Reynolds, passed away within hours of one another in December 2016. But no one would have felt the pain more acutely than Todd Fisher, who writes about his sister and mother in his new memoir, My Girls. Tracy Smith of CBS Sunday Morning sits down with Fisher to discuss a lifetime in the orbit of two irrepressible Hollywood stars.

I had the pleasure of meeting Debbie and number of times, she was the true Hollywood star the last of the Golden age of Hollywood icons. She always had a good story to tell and her two autobiographies are well worth a read. Unfortunately this book will not be available in books stores, so if you want a copy it’s the internet to get one.

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An article claiming Prince George was “targeted” by an “ISIS sniper” is nothing but fake news. The tabloid is using an old photo that was widely seen at the time to sensationally claim Kate Middleton and Prince William’s son “cheated death.”

The latest cover of the National Enquirer exclaims, “ISIS Kill Plot Foiled! Sniper Caught Stalking Prince George!” In a purported “world exclusive,” the magazine is claiming to have a picture showing “the heart-stopping moment little Prince George cheated death.” The photo shows the future king walking hand-in-hand with his father and his teacher outside of his school. The outlet focuses on the upper left corner of the supposedly “chilling image,” contending that a “man is leaning out of a window” and “appears to be holding a rifle and looking down at the two royals.”

“What happened next is unknown, but a Buckingham Palace source believes brilliant police work averted a tragedy,” claims the publication. This so-called “source” is quoted as saying, “Clearly, security stopped whoever it was without incident. Both Prince George and his father are obviously alive, as is the teacher.” Speculates this alleged insider, “It’s possible the sniper was captured, or that he decided not to take the shot.”

But this is really just wild, unsubstantiated conjecture. And what the supermarket tabloid fails to tell readers is that its “photo exclusive” is not really an “exclusive” at all. The magazine purposefully doesn’t give the date of the snapshot because it is more than six months old. The photos were taken as Price William escorted Prince George to his first day of school last September. For this outrageous “sniper” storyline, it appears the outlet took a screengrab from a video of Prince George’s arrival, in which a person is indeed seen in an open window at the building behind the royal father and son.

But there’s nothing to even remotely suggest the person is an ISIS-connected “sniper,” versus, say, a nosy neighbour observing a historical milestone for the heir to the throne. And significantly, no reputable outlet ever reported anything about a “kill plot” being thwarted on Prince George’s first day of school. In fact, well into the article, the publication changes from implying the person in the window was a “sniper” to claiming “the man in the window was actually part of a team of officers who have taken up residence in a home overlooking the school — to protect George.” And then, confusingly, the tabloid switches back again with its questionable “source” asserting, “It’s shocking the Enquirer obtained the real photo with the man leaning out of the window!”

Yeah, there’s nothing “shocking” going on here….just more FAKE NEWS from the US gossip tabloid!

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Suri Cruise is 12 now and she’s growing up to be a cute and happy pre-teen. As far as anyone knows, (and there are plenty of watchers) Tom Cruise has not seen Suri since she was seven years old because Scientology wants him to “disconnect.” Recently Star magazine claimed that Tom is planning a reunion, which might or might not happen – we doubt that they have any inside information. Tabloids are free to write anything they want about celebrities as long as it isn’t litigious or career damaging. Since Tom has obviously chosen Scientology over his own daughter, a reunion might not be such a good thing, anyway.

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Angelina Jolie is looking simply stunning while arriving for the Service of Commemoration and Dedication, marking the 200th anniversary of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George at St Paul’s Cathedral in London, England.

If you don’t know, the Order of St. Michael and St George it is awarded to men or women for “service in a foreign country, or in relation to foreign and Commonwealth affairs, for example, the work of foreign-service officers and diplomats.”

Angelina waved to fans as she left the affair, and even met one lucky young girl!

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After Paris Jackson tragically lost her beloved father Michael Jackson in 2009, she became even closer with Grandfather Joe Jackson in keeping his memory alive. Now she’s mourning the loss of her beloved grandpa, who passed away after a battle with an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer on June 27 at 89-years-old.

Paris, 20, was with him until the very end, and wrote a heartfelt Instagram post detailing her precious final memories with Joe. Next to a photo showing her tattooed hand holding on to Joe’s while he was in the hospital, she wrote “RIP The HAWK. Joseph Jackson. Spending those last few moments with you were everything. Being able to tell you everything I needed to tell you before saying goodbye was such a blessing.”

On reuniting with his co-stars, Bryan said, “You can’t just move on. Something that was so indelible and meaningful in your life and you can’t, and I don’t want to. I want to hold on to those good memories of that gathering, both then and during our seven years together. So, it’s a bit melancholy, actually. Bittersweet.”

Aaron added, “I love these people. I feel blessed to have shared this incredible experience that is Breaking Bad with each and every one of these people. I remember when we were shooting the first season, [co-star Dan Morris) and I were talking, he goes, ‘You know, in ten years, we’re going to look back and say, ‘Goddammit! I used to be a part of Breaking Bad!’ And now it’s crazy that 10 years has passed, and I am still constantly thinking that. It’s like, wow, how lucky we all are.”

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I was rather disappointed when Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb collected his knighthood at Bucking Palace; he paid a moving tribute to his late twin brothers and fellow band members Maurice and Robin. But there was no mention of the family’s other musical star Andy. It may be hard to believe now, but the youngest brother was once considered the Gibb most likely to become a major star.

Andy was deemed to be so talented that he was dissuaded from joining the Bee Gees on the grounds that he had what it took to make it on his own.

And for a brief period in the late 1970s and early 1980s it looked as if the advice was good.

Andy was just 19 when his first single, I Just Want To Be Your Everything, hit the top of the US charts in 1977.

He was nominated for two Grammys and made nearly $2million (US) that year and had sold 15 million records worldwide by the time he was 21.

What’s more, having divorced the 18-year-old receptionist he had married just before fame struck, he embarked on a relationship with Victoria Principal, the actress then riding high in the blockbuster TV series Dallas.

But it was too good to last. From these giddy heights Andy’s life took a now familiar trajectory.

His dabbling in cocaine became a fully fledged drug addiction. His celebrity girlfriend gave him an ultimatum – the narcotics or me – and ditched him when he failed to get help.

Anguished by her rejection, his drug use spiralled, the hits stopped coming and by 1987 he had been declared bankrupt.

While he did eventually go into rehab, the damage had been done. On March 7, 1988, he checked into Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital complaining of chest pains.

On March 10, at 8.30am, his doctor walked in and told Andy that more tests were needed. “Fine,” said the patient, but a few moments later he slumped into unconsciousness and within a few minutes his heart failed and he was dead. It was five days after his 30th birthday.

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The Cher Show, the musical based on Cher’s life starring three Cher’s (at different points in her life), is currently trying out in Chicago before going to Broadway. Cher was in the audience this past weekend, and after the show, The Chicago Tribune asked her what she thought. Let’s put it this way: at no point did the cast and crew hear a low voice in the orchestra say, “Someone grab me a freakin’ pen so I can stab myself in the eye.” Cher said:

“Some parts of it are really fabulous. We’re going to work on the other parts. In many parts, it was much, much better than I thought it would be. And there were no parts where I wanted to gouge my eyes out. It needs work. I’m not supposed to say that but I don’t care.”

When asked what was going through her mind while she watched the show, Cher answered:

“That’s really hard to say. Sometimes, I was having a blast. Sometimes, my mind was wandering. I think those are the parts that are going to get better.”

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Jerry Seinfeld has now weighed in on the Roseanne Barr controversy after the actress was fired from her sitcom for a racist tweet.

“I didn’t see why it was necessary to fire her,” Jerry told the TV gossip show Entertainment Tonight.. “Why would you murder someone who’s committing suicide?”

He continued: “But I never saw someone ruin their entire career with one button push. That was fresh.”

Now that a spinoff of the ABC reboot has been ordered without Roseanne, Jerry says, “I think they should get another Roseanne. They brought Dan Conner back. He was dead, and they brought him back. So why can’t we get another Roseanne? There’s other funny women that could do that part.”

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Susan Sarandon broke the rules of royal etiquette while meeting Queen Elizabeth – but the Queen certainly didn’t seem to mind!

The actress approached the Queen at the Royal Windsor Cup polo match in Egham, England over the weekend to introduce herself. Royal etiquette suggests that guests should wait to be introduced to the Queen before speaking with her, Express UK reports.

Despite this minor infraction, the Queen did not seem to mind and greeted Susan with a big smile.

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David Beckham did not get a teacher pregnant, nor are he and Victoria Beckham on the verge of divorce. A tabloid is taking a cheating rumor it knows is false and using it to claim a “love child scandal” could lead to the couple breaking up. Here’s how the gossip went.

“Did Beckham Get His Daughter’s Teacher Pregnant?” Star asks on its new cover. The answer is no, and that has been known for weeks. Here’s what happened: In early June, a rumour went viral claiming David impregnated daughter Harper’s teacher. It was completely bogus, and even the woman’s dad spoke out to say she had never even met the soccer star. But despite this all being cleared up weeks ago, the tabloid is now using the situation to sell a salacious cover story about infidelity and an impending divorce.

The magazine claims that “with rumours abuzz that David Beckham is having a love child with his daughter’s teacher,” his marriage to Victoria is “in pieces.” It’s specifically alleged that she “broke down amid the buzz, and friends fret that the longtime lovebirds may be headed for a Becks-it.” A so-called “source” is quoted as saying, “David has denied it so many times, he’s sick of talking about it. But Posh just won’t let up.”

Suspiciously, in another quote, the singer-designer is referenced by her given name, with the outlet’s supposed snitch contending, “Victoria believes David when he says nothing is happening with the teacher, but the damage may be done.” Real people don’t switch names in a conversation like that. Still, the alleged tipster goes on to claim, “Their fight was so big that there’s no going back. A few days after the news broke, she phoned David to ask if their marriage was done for, and he couldn’t come up with an answer.”

A purported “worried friend” further asserts Victoria is now “waiting for David to notice her enough to get back to London and decide once and for all if it’s worth continuing their marriage.” The publication apparently didn’t even know that at the time of writing this false story David was already back in London, he was a guest at Buckingham Palace for the Young Leaders event hosted by the Queen. The tabloid also doesn’t mention that David shared on Instagram two weeks ago a photo of Victoria sitting by his side at a group dinner. That was after the false cheating rumour was debunked.

David and Victoria were also together this past week to celebrate her Sotheby’s collection. It’s quite apparent they are still spending time together and she doesn’t need to “wait” for him to “notice her.” In fact, with their wedding anniversary coming up in a few days, Victoria posted on Instagram that she’s been “shopping for a dress for my anniversary dinner” and scored the perfect outfit for their upcoming “date night.”

Conclusion:Star has taken a weeks-old false rumour that was thoroughly disputed and is wrongly using it to claim Victoria and David’s marriage is falling apart and they may split. But their own actions of late show they remain completely united as a couple. And, as noted above, the magazine and its alleged pal are clearly unaware of David’s current whereabouts, which means the rest of the assertions aren’t the least bit credible. We should dismiss the clearly inaccurate cover story as “more tabloid lies.”

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Lindsay Lohan gave a candid interview to the New York Times where she brought up her past, which includes numerous legal issues and arrests.

“I’m a normal, nice person. A good person. I don’t have any bad intentions. And my past has to stay in the past,” the 31-year-old actress explained. “Like, people have to just let go of it and stop bringing it up because it’s not — it’s gone. It’s dead. And that’s the most important thing to me.”

Lindsay also brought up her new home in Dubai, and why she likes living there versus America.

“It’s the safest place. It’s less demanding. America is always like, ‘Go go go go go!’ I don’t have to turn on the news and see about the Kardashians. I don’t have to see anything anymore. I choose what I want to see and how I want to live,” Lindsay added.

About her family relations, Lindsay added, “Look, I’m not in control of my family. I’m only in control of myself. We’re all friends. My mom and dad are friends, everyone’s good,” she said. “If anyone in my life for one second, I feel unsafe with, they’re out. Very simple. This is it. I’m not going to complicate things. Because I’m a caretaker, I always want to give to people.”

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It’s gratifying to see how intelligently MTV handled the misconduct allegations against Catfish TV host Nev Schulman. They put Catfish production on hold and hired an independent investigator to scrutinize the charges made by a woman who appeared on the show. She alleged that Nev pressured her to have sex with him. He denied the allegations and pointed out that coworkers present at that time would back him up. Investigators found the charges to be without merit, and Catfish resumed production. We’re happy to see that no one was instantly fired nor were shows abruptly cancelled until charges were thoroughly examined.

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In recent weeks there has been uproar across social media and news outlets in regards to the recent news that children are being ripped away from their parents at the border and moved to what can only be considered present day internment camps. When the details came to light many people reacted in a proactive manner, starting fundraising campaigns and urging people to call their congress people and say that they support SB 3036. SB 3036 is the “Keep Families Together Act”.

With so many people speaking out about their disgust with the situation it was only going to be a matter of time until art moved to speak to protesting the travesty.

Los Angeles based street artist Plastic Jesus debuted an art installation titled “Trump Hotel” at Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The art piece features a 48″ wire cage that has the gold Trump hotel logo on it in and is filled with teddy bears. The piece is intended to portray the internment of children. We attended the debut of the event and Plastic Jesus offered some insight on art piece as well as the current political situation.

I’ve been getting daily emails and social media messages from people asking me what I am gonna to do about Trump’s policy to separate families and incarcerate children and babies. Obviously I had to do something. Like so many people I found the imprisonment of children abhorrent. However it’s a very difficult subject to address in a way that doesn’t convey too much horror and sadness, and at the same time recognizes the gravity of the issue and respects the memory of those who were in Japanese Internment camps in the US or Nazi concentration camps. Hopefully this piece will not only add an artists’ perspective to the issue but will also signify the incarceration and imprisonment of children and the entrapment of innocence.

It was not a difficult piece to fabricate, comprising of a borrowed dog cage and a collection of Teddy Bears, wired into the cage. The idea of locating it on Trump’s star was an obvious one. The star is an accolade and if people realize the implications of Trump’s barbaric policies it hopefully makes people wonder why we celebrate this bigoted, racist and divisive president. I for one feel the star should be removed for his violations on human rights and promotion of racist ideas, not something Hollywood should not align with.

Once the piece was unveiled many people stopped to take note of the piece and get photos of it. It definitely did its part by starting conversations and causing confusion. The confusion led to bystanders stopping to get a better look at the piece to understand it.

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Richard Harrison of Pawn Stars fame has died at the age of 77.

The former navy officer is best known as the wise presence on the History Channel reality TV series which focused on three generations of one family working in a pawn shop located in Las Vegas. He went by the name Old Man.

His son, Rick Harrison, who was also on the TV series, broke the news with a touching statement on Monday morning. Later TMZ claimed he suffered from Parkinson’s Disease.

‘The Old Man Harrison passed away surrounded by those he loved,’ Rick revealed. ‘He will be tremendously missed by our family, the team at Gold & Silver Pawn and his many fans the world over.’

Rick added, ‘He was my hero and I was fortunate to get a very cool Old Man as my dad.’

Earlier this year I visited the Pawn Star shop in Las Vegas, if you’re going to Las Vegas it’s well worth a look.

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It was a huge weekend at the movies in America and Canada for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, which topped the box office with a huge debut!

The sequel to Jurassic World grossed $150 million (US) in its first three days of release in the U.S. and Canada. The film, which was already in theaters for a couple weeks around the world, has now grossed $711.15 million (US) worldwide.

Box office experts were estimating the film would gross around $130 million (US), so it exceeded expectations!

Coming in second place was Incredibles 2 with a large second weekend total of $81.9 million for a 10-day total of $350.3 million at the domestic box office.

Rounding out the top five were Ocean’s 8 with $11.7 million (US), Tag with $8.2 million (US), and Deadpool 2 with $5 million (US).

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The Walk of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce our newest honourees to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Committee always tries to select a group of talented honourees that appeal in various genres of the entertainment world,” says Chairman and Walk of Famer Vin Di Bona, “I feel the Committee has outdone themselves and I know the fans, tourists and the Hollywood community will be pleased with our selections. We are excited to see each and every honoree’s face as they unveil that majestic star on Hollywood’s most famous walkway!”

In the category of LIVE THEATRE/LIVE PERFORMANCE:Idina Menzel, Cedric “The Entertainer”, Judith Light, and Paul Sorvino.

Now that you know who’s getting a star, here’s a list of who doesn’t have one. I feel these stars should have a star on the Walk of Fame, when you see some of the so-called stars who have one! Need I say more?

George Clooney

Leonardo DiCaprio

Bob Dylan

The Eagles

Clint Eastwood

Carrie Fisher

Guns ‘N Roses

Dustin Hoffman

Whitney Houston

David Lynch

Steve Martin

Brad Pitt

Prince

Julia Roberts

Sharon Tate

Denzel Washington

Frank Zappa

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 25th June 2018

I’m not one to gossip but…………………… If there is only one concert you are going to this year make it Elaine Paige in Concert, either in Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland. I have seen Elaine in concert a number of times, and I have never been disappointed. She is outrageously talented the consummate professional performer, she has star quality in abundance. Elaine is also one of the nicest people in show business, I adore her both on and off the stage. PLEASE DO NOT MISS ELAINE PAIGE IN CONCERT, OR YOU WILL BE MISSING A REAL TREAT!

ELAINE PAIGE‘In Concert’

A SERIES OF CONCERTS FOR NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA

Singer Elaine Paige has announced an 8-date series of concerts from October 10 to October 25 2018, which will see her perform songs from her illustrious career along side an array of her favourite tracks by contemporary songwriters.

This follows on from the huge successes of Elaine’s last series of concerts in the UK in 2016 and 2017, which had audiences and critics alike rising to their feet in praise.

Elaine said: “I’m so excited about taking this concert to more venues across the globe, we’ve had such a great time performing it over the past couple of years. It allows me to do something completely different, a brand new show celebrating songwriters I love such as Harry Nilsson, Jim Webb, Burt Bacharach, Lennon & McCartney, Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber … the list goes on… as well as many of my hits such as I Know Him So Well, Don’t Cry for Me Argentina and of course my signature Memory. This music has been the soundtrack to all our lives, not just mine. And it’s the ideal opportunity to perform in an intimate way.”

“an exceptional show that represents both a carefully formulated evening’s entertainment and a genuine labour of love”–musicaltheatrereview.com

“a vocally remarkable and almost effortless performance … had the audience rising to their feet in rapturous applause”–redbrick.me

“With her biggest hit Memory from Cats and With One Look from Sunset Boulevard as part of the set list, it’s a moment you don’t want to miss.”–ManchestersFinest

Elaine has performed live in concert all over the world and as a recording artist has worked with legendary producers such as Tony Visconti, Dennis Lambert, Peter Matz, and Phil Ramone amongst others and has released 22 solo albums (4 multi-Platinum and 9 Gold,) been featured on 7 cast recordings and has had major worldwide hits with songs such as ‘Memory’ (Cats) and ‘I Know Him So Well’(Chess.)

As a musical theatre performer, Elaine has made a major contribution to the modern musical. She has starred in more smash hit West End and Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation and continues to present the hugely successful weekly BBC Radio 2 show Elaine Paige on Sunday, now approaching its 15th year on air, which is devoted to musical theatre and film music, and continues to delight audiences of over 2.5 million listeners each week with its mix of music, news and interviews.

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch the lady who has quite rightly been given the epithet ‘First Lady Of Musical Theatre’ in an intimate, informal concert of epic proportion! A thousand times ‘bravo!” –North West End

“The night as a whole was sensational, and it was an honour to witness musical theatre royalty doing what she does best.”–Grapevine

Move over Adele. This is my favorite Carpool Karaoke ever! James Corden heads to Liverpool for a special day with Sir Paul McCartney spent exploring the city of Paul’s youth, visiting his childhood home where he wrote music with John Lennon, performing songs in a local pub and of course driving around singing a few of Paul’s biggest hits. Trust me this is well worth a look!

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A new musical based on the life of Michael Jackson is set for a run on Broadway in 2020. Well I guess it was only a matter of time for this to happen. I’m sure the Jackson family will be raking in the big bucks from this stage production.

The show, which currently has no title, is being written by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

The Michael Jackson Estate and Columbia Live Stage company announced the news on Tuesday, but didn’t say which theatre the show will play in.

The musical will encompass many of Jackson’s greatest hits, including Thriller, Beat It and Smooth Criminal.

Christopher Wheeldon will direct and choreograph the show, which is likely to contain some of the recognisable dances moves from Jackson’s music videos and tours.

Wheeldon won a Tony Award for best choreography in 2015 for his work on An American in Paris.

It is not known what role the Michael Jackson estate has in creating the show and whether the more controversial talking points from the star’s life, such as his 2005 trial and acquittal over claims of sexual abuse, will be featured in the dramatisation.

This won’t be the first time that Jackson’s music has been featured in a stage production – Thriller Live opened in London’s West End in January 2009. The music icon’s legacy will be brought to life on stage in 2020, and will be ““sympathetic” regarding the icons child molestation scandal.

“The show is being controlled by his estate and will only be positive to Michael. The creative team is debating if the show will include drug abuse and child molestation accusations at all—but if the show does, it will show Michael as on innocent victim,” a source confirmed.

“Lots of producers were interested in doing the real Michael Jackson musical but they couldn’t get the rights to any of his music unless his estate approved.”

I’m sure you all know that Jackson got caught in an explosive child molestation scandal during his Hollywood days. While he denied all claims, the negative backlash and vicious legal battles he endured caused him to become extremely paranoid and turn reclusive until his untimely 2009 death

“There was no way they would approve unless the script was sympathetic. Musicals are huge money makers and this show is all about maintaining Jackson’s legacy as well as making the family a fortune,” added the source.

“I try really, really hard. I try hardest to be the best mother,” Victoria said at the Forbes Women’s Summit, according to Hello magazine.

“I am trying to be the best wife and the best professional. When I get home I try to put the phone down and spend time with the children and spend time with David,” she added. “I have the support of an incredible husband. We really are equal with everything we do at home with the children. When I’m away he’s the one doing the school run and doing the cooking.”

Victoria and David will celebrate 19 years of marriage on July 4. They share kids Brooklyn 19, Romeo, 15, Cruz, 13, and Harper 6.

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Johnny Depp gives a very candid interview to attempt to set the record straight after being in the news for lawsuits, rumours about his spending, and more.

Speaking with Rolling Stone magazine, Johnny told the publication about the lows he felt after his divorce from Amber Heard, as well as the numerous lawsuits he was involved with.

“I was as low as I believe I could have gotten. The next step was, ‘You’re going to arrive somewhere with your eyes open and you’re going to leave there with your eyes closed.’ I couldn’t take the pain every day,” he said. He added that to cope with his feelings, he began writing a memoir on a typewriter.

Johnny said, “I poured myself a vodka in the morning and started writing until the tears filled my eyes and I couldn’t see the page anymore. I kept trying to figure out what I’d done to deserve this. I’d tried being kind to everyone, helping everyone, being truthful to everyone…The truth is most important to me. And all this still happened.”

Involving rumours about his money, he mentioned his son Jack, 16, “My son had to hear about how his old man lost all his money from kids at school, that’s not right,” Johnny said.

He also added about rumours about his excessive spending, “It’s insulting to say that I spent $30,000 (US) on wine…Because it was far more.”

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Justin Theroux is showing off his chiseled arms on the cover of Men’s Health’s new issue, on newsstands June 26.

Here’s what the 46-year-old actor had to share with the mag…

On his mom, who he calls his ‘hero’: “She’s a stud. She did a collection of eulogies under the idea that it’s a shame that such beautiful things are written when the person’s dead. It would be nice if that sort of kindness could be shown to people when they’re alive.”

On not having a bucket list: “In ideal circumstances, the bucket list just starts to happen if you’re leading your life well. I happened to be driving past a skydiving school once and decided to go skydiving. It wasn’t anything I had planned. I always wanted to ride a motorcycle across Europe. I’ve done that three times now. There’s nothing I’m dying to do. Nothing gnawing at me. There are things I know I will do. I just don’t know what they are yet.”

On how he chooses his tattoos: “I don’t put a lot of thought into mine. There are a lot of people designing their own tattoos who are frustrating a lot of tattoo artists. I’m real easy. I’ll go in like, ‘What should we do?’ ‘I dunno, what do you wanna do?’ So it’s kind of when the mood strikes.”

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Kate Hudson was not “dumped” while pregnant. She and Danny Fujikawa are still very much together. Their agents can debunk this probably wrong tabloid cover story.

Star magazine blares on its new cover, “Kate Hudson Pregnant & Dumped!” Inside the issue, a headline similarly asserts, “Kate Hudson Pregnant & Alone.” It’s specifically alleged in the article that Hudson has been “dumped by her rocker beau.”

Describing the expectant actress as “beyond heartbroken,” a so-called “baby blabber” is quoted as saying, “She thought Danny was The One, and now it looks like he’s bolting for the door.” Contending that the couple became engaged after Hudson found out she was pregnant, a supposed “source” claims to the magazine that they “butted heads from the start [and] couldn’t even agree on a wedding date, which was a bad sign.”

It’s asserted Fujikawa was “apparently shocked by how bossy his baby mama became” once he moved in with her, and that “things finally came to a head” while the pair was in New York earlier this month celebrating the musician’s birthday. “Kate was being a pill, and Danny couldn’t take it anymore and walked out,” alleges the outlet’s purported tipster. I say dump this in the fake new file!

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George and Amal Clooney have announced a donation of $100,000 (US) to the help the migrant children who have been torn away from their parents at the border between Mexico and the United States.

“At some point in the future our children [one-year-old twin Ella and Alexander will ask us: ‘Is it true, did our country really take babies from their parents and put them in detention centers?’ And when we answer yes, they’ll ask us what we did about it. What we said. Where we stood. We can’t change this administration’s policy but we can help defend the victims of it,” the couple told People magazine in a statement. “Today, the Clooney Foundation for Justice will donate $100,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights.”

Maria Woltjen, the Young Center’s Executive Director, released a statement thanking the couple. “This Administration’s policy disregards international law and basic principles of human decency,” she said. “To treat children in such a cruel manner not only violates their legal rights but also their basic needs. We are doing everything we can to advocate on behalf of the thousands of children who are separated and alone, and we are grateful for the generous support of George and Amal Clooney and the Clooney Foundation for Justice — it could not be more vital at this time.”

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Cate Blanchard and Orlando Bloom served as the guests on The Late Late Show with James Corden alongside.

After host James asks Cate about working with Orlando in the past on The Lord of the Rings trilogy in New Zealand, they learn Orlando had a crush on Cate the first time they worked together.

“I can’t think — I had such a crush. I had the biggest crush on you,” Orlando, 41, admitted. “Well, it was your character!,” Cate, 49, insisted before Orlando said, “No, it was me!”

“I didn’t recognize you, because the first time I saw you, you had hair — like Fabio hair and blue eyes,” Cate recalled. “And then I just saw you — who is this really cute guy out of drama school — and I didn’t put two and two [together].”

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There’s one Judy Garland fan who’s defiantly not blasting “Get Happy.” OR “The Trolley Song.” This Judy Garland super fan — whose name hasn’t been released to a curious public– purchased the space next to Garland’s final resting place at the Ferncliff Mausoleum in New York, a spot that reportedly sold for around $15,500 (US).

“It’s funny because there’s a man who specifically flew in from California because he is a big fan of hers,” says a heartless and unfeeling cemetery manager.

“He purchased a plot near her so when he dies he could be next to Judy forever. I don’t know what he is going to do now.”

Maybe he’ll live forever now. Out of spite!

Since Garland’s fatal overdose in 1969, the remains of The Wizard of Oz star have been keeping a low profile, hiding out in crypt No. 31 in Unit 9.

Last year Judy’s remains were exhumed and flown to Los Angeles at the request of daughter Liza Minnelli. Judy was re-interred at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, where she’ll be rubbing elbows with other A-listers like Johnny and Dee Dee Ramone, The Beatles’ George Harrison, and filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille to name a few.

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Janet Jackson is on the cover of Essence magazine’s July/August 2018 issue.

Here’s what the entertainer had to share with the mag…

On struggling with depression: “I struggled with depression. The struggle was intense. Low self-esteem might be rooted in childhood feelings of inferiority. It could relate to failing to meet impossibly high standards. And of course there are always the societal issues of racism and sexism. Put it all together and depression is a tenacious and scary condition. Thankfully, I found my way through it.”

On her one-year-old son Eissa: “The height of happiness is holding my baby son in my arms and hearing him coo, or when I look into his smiling eyes and watch him respond to my tenderness. When I kiss him. When I sing him softly to sleep. During those sacred times, happiness is everywhere.”

On #MeToo: “We are living at a time in history when women all over the world are refusing to be controlled, manipulated, exploited or abused. We have found our strength, and we will not relent.”

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From the nostalgia Hollywood file. When Rudolph Valentino died in 1926, several women committed suicide and a whole nation mourned. He was buried in a magnificent silver-bronze coffin, wearing a slave bracelet given to him by his last wife, actress Natacha Rambova. He was placed in a temporary vault that belonged to his friend, the woman who first discovered him, writer June Mathis. Unfortunately the grand plans for a huge marble monument were abandoned at the last minute, and to this day Rudolph rests in his borrowed wall crypt, no. 1205 in the Hollywood Memorial Cemetery. Ironically, when he was alive he stood many times in front of his own wall crypt to place flowers on the crypt of Miss Mathis’s mother Virginia, who lies just below Rudolph. June Mathis died just twelve months after Rudolph, and now lies in the wall crypt on his left.

In his will, Rudolph left his first wife one dollar, so that she could not contest the will.

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Last Sunday evening I was on Grant Walker’s Sunday night National Radio programme, if you would like to listen to the interview just click here.

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WIDE OPEN COUNTRY

The Variety Artists Club of NZ is a non profit organisation formed to promote goodwill within the New Zealand entertainment industry and foster a spirit of loyalty, friendship and cooperation between professional artists of all genres and its members. Each year the VAC presents a number of New Zealand entertainment awards including the prestigious Benny Award. I have been their Patron for many years, and believe me it is a great organizing.

WIDE OPEN COUNTRY is a fundraiser for our Gala Awards Night. Our salute to all that is Country Music – an eclectic mix of a musical style that is gaining traction around the world and here in NZ we have an abundance of talent!

This show features WIDE OPEN COUNTRY – AMERICANA/BLUEGRASS/COUNTRY ROCK & VINTAGE – Jamie McDell headlines a wonderful group of performers! Jamie’s recent release and 3rd album ‘Extraordinary Girl’ celebrates her musical roots with definite country vibes. The show also features Scottish born Sisters The Toner Sisters, The Trenwiths (Paul Trenwith of Hamilton County Bluegrass fame) & Sons and NZ’s hottest new Country Band, The Trail Benders! Please don’t miss this concert or you will be missing a real treat.

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Until next week my lips are sealed!

David H. W. Hartnell MNZM copyright 2018

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Monday 18th June 2018

I’m not one to gossip but……………………Judy Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli, does ‘not approve nor sanction’ the upcoming biopic about her mother.

Judy is an upcoming film detailing the life of the Classic Hollywood starlet. Academy Award-winning actor Renée Zellweger is playing Garland in 1968, a year before her untimely death. That is Renee portraying Judy in the picture, I think the likeness is amazing.

The first photo of Zellweger was released in March to much acclaim and surprise.

She doesn’t get the stamp of approval from Minnelli, however.

Radar Online reported in a now-deleted article that Minnelli and Zellweger were ‘bonding’ over the movie. Minnelli called it ‘100% fiction’ in a Facebook post.

‘I have never met nor spoken to Renee Zellweger…’ she wrote in the post.

‘I don’t know how these stories get started, but I do not approve nor sanction the upcoming film about Judy Garland in any way. Any reports to the contrary are 100% Fiction.’

Minnelli is the oldest of Garland’s three daughters. She was born to Garland and director Vincente Minnelli in 1946.

Gemma-Leah Devereux is playing a version of Minnelli in the film.

The film explores a version of Garland that is ‘exhausted; haunted by memories of a childhood lost to Hollywood and gripped by a desire to be back home with her kids’. In her final year, she also fell in love with Mickey Deans, her fifth and final husband, played by Finn Wittrock.

The movie is set for release later this year.

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The Upper East Side New York home of the late pop star Michael Jackson on East 74th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues, is now listed for just $35 million(US), after a few months on the market at $39 million(US).

The façade is even famous, appearing on Gossip Girl as Nate Archibald’s house.

Most recently, it was owned by billionaire and Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry who bought it in 2001 for $11 million(US). The 12,745-square-foot house has 7 bedrooms and 8 bathrooms on 6 floors, a garden-level terrace, a rooftop deck with it’s own kitchen (who wants to schlep food up and down?) and 10 wood burning fireplaces. (Somebody is going to be schlepping firewood though…)

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Barbra Streisand is making exciting new moves with Netflix!

The legendary 76-year-old screen and stage icon announced a new content deal during the 2018 Netflix FYSee closing night celebration.

During the event, which featured Barbra and Jamie Foxx in conversation in support of her concert tour Barbra: The Music… The Mem’ries… The Magic!, Barbra revealed that Netflix will soon be rolling out six classic specials: My Name Is Barbra (1965), Colour Me Barbra (1966), Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park (1968), Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments (1973), Barbra Streisand: The Concert (1994), and Barbra Streisand: Timeless (2001).

A new edition of A Star Is Born is coming as well, including never-before-seen footage of Barbra performing an instrumental version of “Evergreen” for the first time, and added footage to the medley finale.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones is ready to live her best life without worrying what other people think about her!

The 48-year-old Oscar-winning actress is done apologizing for having money, good looks, and movie star husband Michael Douglas.

“One thing I’m not is humble any more. I’m sick of being humble. I really am. ‘So sorry I’m rich, so sorry I’m married to a movie star, so sorry I’m not so bad looking,’” Catherine said in a new interview with The UK Daily Mirror “No sorry’s. Enough. All that is important to me now is my work.”

“That’s what I love and the rest of my life is a joy because I’ve got two beautiful kids and a healthy, happy husband. It’s all good, and I’m not going to be humble for that either,” she added.

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Trivia Nostalgia.

Hard to believe in this day and age, but in 1979 The Muppet Movie was cut by the New Zealand censor on the grounds of gratuitous violence. The scene, which gave them trouble, showed Fozzie Bear being menaced by a drunken sailor with a broken bottle.

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Barry Manilow has been hospitalized with a bronchial infection and has to delay kicking off his residency at the Westgate Las Vegas.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Manilow, 74, said on social media. “Our new show is ready, we’re all ready, and we were all looking forward to tonight.”

Manilow is expected to make a speedy recovery and be released in a few days.

“The entire Westgate family wishes Barry a speedy recovery and we know that he will dazzle audiences when his show resumes on June 21st,” said David Siegel, Westgate Resorts’ Founder & CEO.

Guests originally scheduled to attend this weekend’s performances will have the opportunity to get a full refund for the tickets. Additionally, once future dates are released, ticket exchanges will be offered.

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Congregants of First Congregational Church of Stamford in Stamford, Connecticut were shocked when something suddenly obstructed the view of their church last week. That something just happens to be a 26-foot tall statue of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.

The statue shows the starlet in her iconic pose from The Seven Year Itch, with her white dress billowing up around her hips.

It not only obstructs the view of the church, but gives congregants a nice view of Monroe’s backside.

Artist Seward Johnson constructed the Forever Marilyn piece. It’s part of an art series displaying Johnson’s work in public places.

The statue, as well as other life-size sculptures of people by Seward, will stay up through summer in the town.

Members of the church had different reactions to the statue.

One member, Pam Riley, said she finds the piece ‘disrespectful’.

‘Her skirt is up in the air and everyone’s under there looking up her skirt,’ she added.

Another member, however, has a more light-hearted approach. Jean Meyer commented: ‘You’re going to have different opinions on it, but you have to have a sense of humour.’

The church’s senior minister, the Rev. Todd Yonkman, understands the statue is a piece of art.

‘It makes me uncomfortable,’ he said ‘The question for each one of us is, What will you do with your discomfort? I am choosing grace.

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These shows coming our way should not be missed!

Fresh from their sold out world tour including Australia, France, London and Holland (to name a few) The Bootleg Beach Boys will embark on a New Zealand wide tour this July and August.

A fully costumed show that takes you right from the very beginning of The Beach Boys and through their career will feature classic hits and cult favourites from California’s most famous band.

From surf themed anthems such as Surfin’ Safari & Surfer Girl to muscle car memorable’s like Shut Down & Fun Fun Fun, the band have gathered a truly impressive repertoire of West Coast, harmony-laden songs, that evoke the spirit and essence of the pursuit of the 1960s American dream.

The band tackle such classics as In My Room, God Only Knows, Good Vibrations and Help Me Rhonda in their hit heavy set, but also pay homage to the genius of Brian Wilson in the form of selections from the seminal Pet Sounds, and cult favourites from the legendary Smile album.

This blend of five vocals and infectious sun-soaked gems makes for a memorable night to celebrate some of the finest music committed to tape over four decades.

Direct from Las Vegas, and incredible sold out concerts around the world, Oh What A Night! announces it’s returning to New Zealand to celebrate the music of Frankie Valli &amp; The Four Seasons. Oh What A Night! promises two hours of superb entertainment … Jersey style!

Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off Your, My Eyes Adored You, Working My Way Back to You, Let’s Hang On and Who Loves You as well as Frankie Valli’s biggest solo hit from the blockbuster movie Grease. The show features a talented group of performers who look, act and sound just as amazing as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons did so many years ago.

Oh What A Night! is an exciting musical revue written by Motown producer and creative consultant George Solomon, directed by award-winning producer-director Michael Chapman with choreography by Paul Holmquist.

Between the score of recognisable tunes, Oh What A Night! delivers informative and often hilarious banter between our stellar, high-spirited cast. The result is an exhilarating show that is as fresh and relevant today as it is nostalgic for the purists.

The audience gets to know and love the four dynamic talents and cheer their boundless energy, great choreography, humour and, of course, the instantly recognisable timeless classic hits. Experience two hours of superb entertainment from these Vegas stars.

THE OLIVIER NOMINATED AND CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED

PETER PAN GOES WRONG

STUMBLES INTO NEW ZEALAND FROM
LONDON’S WEST END FOR LIMITED F/RUN

Following hot on the wobbly heels of the box office hit The Play That Goes Wrong, comes another triumphant disaster from London’s West End. If all goes to pan/plan, Peter Pan Goes Wrong should be stumbling around New Zealand from 31 October to 2 December 2018. Nominated for an Olivier Award in 2016 for Best New Comedy, Peter Pan Goes Wrong sees Mischief Theatre bring their trademark comic mayhem to the J.M. Barrie classic, Peter Pan.

In Peter Pan Goes Wrong, the much-loved members of The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society once again battle against technical hitches, flying mishaps and cast disputes on their way to Neverland with hilarious and disastrous results.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong is co-written by Mischief Theatre company members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields, creators of the Olivier Award-winning comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, which played to packed theatres in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland in 2017. Both ‘Goes Wrong’ productions are renowned for their highly physical comedy packed with finely-tuned farce and Buster Keaton-inspired slapstick delivered with split-second timing.

“We’ve been looking for Neverland, and someone said it was over this way, but I think maybe they got confused – Neverland, New Zealand – anyway we’ll go on a little ‘tricky tour’ or whatever you call it while we’re here and then maybe head back to London,” said Henry Lewis.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong will play at The Civic in Auckland from 31 October to 18 November, at the Opera House in Wellington from 21 -25 November, and then at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch from 28 November to 2 December.

James Cundall, CEO of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions and presenter of Peter Pan Goes Wrong in New Zealand, said “Audiences in New Zealand gave a rapturous welcome to The Play That Goes Wrong when it toured last year, demonstrating their fantastic sense of humour and love of a good time. Peter Pan offers another marvellous opportunity for things to go drastically wrong for the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, and for New Zealand audiences to once again ache from laughter.”

Peter Pan Goes Wrong premiered at the Pleasance Theatre in London in December 2013 before going on to tour the UK during 2014. The production made its West End debut in 2015 for a Christmas season, returning the following year from October for another Christmas season, making it the third show running in the West End from the Mischief Theatre Company after The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery.

A nightclub singer, a double-murderess, a smooth-talking lawyer and a cell block of sin….. so the story unfolds in the award-winning Broadway and West End musical CHICAGO, which comes to New Zealand in August 2018 and opens at The Civic in Auckland before moving to the Opera House in Wellington in September .

Winner of six Tonys, two Oliviers, one Grammy, two Baftas and six Academy Awards, CHICAGO is the longest-running musical revival in Broadway history and truly is “The sharpest, slickest show on the block” (The Times, UK).

CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway and the West End great – a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another, including Razzle Dazzle, Cell Block Tangoand All That Jazz; the sexiest, most sensational dancing; and a sharply sophisticated set which incorporates the 11-piece orchestra.

It’s no surprise that this devilishly delicious musical has brought cheering audiences to their feet all around the world, from Australia to Argentina, from Spain to South Africa. An estimated 31 million people have seen CHICAGO, which has played over 30,000 performances worldwide.

“Sexy, pin-sharp, and near flawless.”

THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, AUSTRALIA

Set in the Prohibition-era 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer with ambitions of Vaudeville stardom, who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.

CHICAGO is a stunning spectacle full of social satire, intrigue, love, betrayal, rivalry and friendship, a pageant of music and dance that adroitly shifts between reality and fantasy, as Roxie Hart’s world moves from prison to the courtroom to the stage.

James Cundall, Chief Executive of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions says “CHICAGO is one of the world’s most popular musicals. Unbelievably sexy, sassy and sensational, this musical thrills and chills, which is why it continues to tour the world after so many years and has been applauded by millions of people. So whether you’ve seen the Academy Award-winning film and want to experience the show live on stage, or whether you have seen it before and want to recapture the magic, here’s your chance. It would be a crime to miss it.”

“Still the hottest show in town”

THE INDEPENDENT, UK

CHICAGO was first created by the legendary Broadway trio of John Kander (music), Fred Ebb (book/lyrics) and Bob Fosse (co-author, original director and choreographer) in 1975, and was based on a 1926 Broadway play written by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a journalist from the Chicago Tribune who had covered the sensational trials of two women, both of whom were accused of killing their lovers whilst under the influence of drink and jazz.

Kander and Ebb enjoyed a collaboration that spanned four decades, defined musical theatre on Broadway and earned them numerous awards. Bob Fosse was one of Broadway’s biggest and brightest creative stars, renowned for his innovative and spectacular staging, with the emphasis on exhilarating dance sequences. He turned out one hit after another from the 1950s to the late 70s and is the only director so far to have won an Oscar, two Tony Awards and an Emmy Award in the same year, 1973.

The most exciting musical of its generation”

THE TIMES, UK

In November 1996 a revival of CHICAGO opened on Broadway produced by Barry and Fran Weissler, and a year later opened in London’s West End. The rest, as they say, is history, as CHICAGO is currently playing its 21st year in New York where it holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and the second longest-running musical in Broadway history. In the West End CHICAGO ran for 15 years where it also became the longest-running musical revival as well as the longest-running Broadway musical to play in the West End. The show’s global success has reached over 35 countries and been translated into 13 languages.

Lunchbox Theatrical Productions presents CHICAGO produced by Barry and Fran Weissler and David Ian in association with Showtime Management.

Tiffany Haddish talks about hitting on Leonardo DiCaprio at a recent party, in her interview

“Yeah, I met him at a party two, three months ago, and I asked him if he’d let me hit that. He’s like, ‘Tiffany, you’re so funny.’ I’m like, ‘I’m serious.’ And then he goes, ‘I mean, I’d do it, but …’ I was like, ‘Come on, wasn’t you in a squad? The coochie squad or something?’” Tiffany recalled.

“I told him, ‘My only stipulation: I wanna do it with you as your character in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.’ He starts bustin’ up laughin,” she continued.

“‘Why?’ he asks, and I say, ‘Cause I feel like that performance deserves a real reward and that reward is this (gestures at her own body),” Tiffany added.

She continued, “He starts goin’ into how he got into the role, how he worked with these kids and all this stuff, and I’m just listenin’ and listenin’, like, ‘Mmm-hmm, mmm-hmm.’ I finally go, ‘All that’s good, I just need to know, When’s this gonna happen?’”

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Tom Hanks is currently starring in the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles’ production of the play Henry IV! The 24-performance run is set to end on July 1.

Just like Shakespeare in the Park, which is performed in an outdoor theater in New York City each summer, this production is held outdoors at the West Los Angeles VA Campus.

The Shakespeare Center is providing thousands of complimentary tickets for veterans and active members of the American military.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not sign a “$500 million prenup” on the day of the royal wedding, despite a new tabloid cover story. Like royal couples before them, the bride and groom did not sign a prenuptial agreement at any point, nor did Queen Elizabeth demand one, as falsely alleged.

But a headline in the latest issue of Star declares, “Prince Harry’s Wedding Secret Exposed: The $500 Million Fight!” The magazine contends that “behind closed doors” at the nuptials last month, there was “plenty of royal intrigue and secret schemes taking place.” It’s specifically alleged that before the ceremony, a “calculating Queen Elizabeth forced Harry and Meghan to sign an ironclad prenup to protect the royal family’s $500 million fortune.”

“The word is that when Harry and Meghan slipped into the antechamber before the ceremony… to sign the marriage registry, they also signed the prenup,” a so-called “palace insider” is quoted as saying. It should be noted that the phrase “the word is” is one of the telltale signs that an outlet does not have any independent confirmation or direct knowledge of what’s being claimed, nor does the “insider.”

So this one can be files under FAKE NEWS!

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Here is he trailer for Kevin Spacey’s first film since he was accused last year of historic sexual assault by multiple men. The actor, who has won two Oscars, will play a gay man in the upcoming drama Billionaire Boys Club.

Kevin lost his job on the Netflix original series House of Cards last October after the row. It started after actor Anthony Rapp alleged Kevin made a sexual advance towards him when he was 14 in 1986.

In a much-criticized response and apology, Spacey came out as a gay man.

Rapp’s allegations led to several other men coming forward with similar claims about Kevin.

The plot of Billionaire Boys Club revolves around a group of wealthy young men in 80s LA who explore group con artistry. It is based on a true story.

The movie will costar Ansel Elgort. The 240year-old rising star is of course famed for his role in romantic teen drama The Fault In Our Stars.

American Horror Story’s Emma Roberts also appears, as does War Horse’s Jeremy Irvine.

Furthermore, English actor Cary Elwes will make an appearance playing openly gay pop artist Andy Warhol.

In the trailer, Kevin’s character Ron Levin can be seen imparting get-rich-quick advice to the group, known as the BBC, saying: ‘I’m from Wall Street. Do you really think people get rich playing by the rules?’

Billionaire Boys Club will be released in the US on 17 August. It will be directed by John Cox.

Filming began in December 2015, before the allegations against Kevin were made. Filming wrapped in January 2016, with reshoots occurring the same year.

The producers’ decision not to axe Kevin follow his being dropped from last year’s All The Money In The World. Spacey is not believed to have any further upcoming films projects.